Nowhere I have been
by paulinemcc
Summary: Gail has a hard time trusting, but when reality threatens to knock her down once more all she can do is hope that Holly will be there to catch her.
1. Chapter 1

**Nowhere I have been**

**Disclaimer – **Usual, don't own, not being paid, blah, blah, blah.

**Forewarning –** I write long fics, I suck at updating and I am changing one detail from canon (at least one anyway). Also as I'm starting from a few weeks after 4.13 it's all AU from here on out. And as all I know of Holly is her current job and her second name everything else is up for grabs.

And a shout out to trustissuesb for picking where this story started from. You asked for it :D

**Part 1**

Holly ties the robe around her body as she heads into the kitchen. She has pancake mix at the ready, bacon on the go, bread by the toaster and coffee percolating away as two glasses of juice sat on the counter at the ready.

"What else?" Holly asks herself as she hears the faint sounds of Gail heading into her bedroom from the shower room. "Ah, eggs!" She mutters, sticking her head into the fridge and pulling out a couple of free range eggs. Just as she was debating with herself as to how best to cook them, two hands slip around her waist as Gail cuddles up to her from behind, pressing a kiss to her neck before resting her head at her shoulder.

"What are you making me?" Gail asks causing Holly to smile.

"Breakfast?" Which Holly thought was obvious but apparently not so. "And how would you like your eggs?"

Gail huffs over Holly's shoulder. "You left me alone in the shower for this?" She complains although they both know that the blonde actually adores that Holly so readily cooks for her.

"It's morning and I'm making myself breakfast," Holly replies holding back the need to giggle at her girlfriend who was now gently swaying them side to side as she tried to navigate through the rest of the cooking. "You're just lucking out that there's leftovers for you to eat."

"Oh!" Gail mutters in Holly's ear before biting down on it gently. "Now I'm just insulted, I'm not sure I should settle for your scraps Missy, you can just throw them out. I'm not even hungry now." Which was a lie because after just getting off night shift, Gail was actually starving and in desperate need of either coffee or sleep.

And as she wasn't about to waste a day of Holly's weekend off by sleeping she planned on getting by on coffee.

"Hmm." Holly wasn't convinced as she plated up another pancake and started a fresh one. She sucked in a breath as a hand snaked into her robe and teasingly palmed her breast. Quickly grabbing the offending hand before Gail could get carried away, Holly turned and pushed Gail to the side gently. "Just for that we're going out after this, now toast and coffee if you can behave for five minutes so I don't burn any of this." Holly said as she juggled pancake flipping with poaching the eggs, her preferred choice and as Gail hadn't bothered to add her opinion the blonde would just have to make do.

Grumbling but doing as she was told Gail quickly got the mugs out for coffee and set the bread to toast. As she'd stayed over more often than not she and Holly already had a nice little routine going each morning as Holly made them breakfast before driving them into work.

As much as she pretended to complain, Gail actually loved how domestic it was. It terrified her that this relationship with Holly seemed to be going so smoothly, even the first time they'd had sex together hadn't been as awkward or embarrassing as Gail had feared.

They just worked.

And Gail was yet to be hit with that blinding panic when the person she was dating started getting too close and she went into fight or flight mode to end the relationship.

Once the toast was ready Gail slid the plates over to have the eggs laid on top and then she took them over to the breakfast bar in Holly's kitchen which they'd been using recently. Holly had mentioned using the back decking but it was too cold at this time of the year for that, especially given they were both wearing so little.

Gail had high hopes of convincing Holly to skip shopping for some time in the bedroom but she had to be sneaky with the older woman and try and not get too predictable when it came to avoidance tactics.

"What are you smiling at?" Holly asks, coming over with a stack of pancakes and a small boat of syrup.

"Nothing!" Gail replied giving her girlfriend her best innocent look, not that Holly was buying it for a second if the raised eyebrow was anything to go by.

Holly let it go, it never paid to delve too deeply into Gail's thoughts, there could be any number of reasons for Gail to be smiling like that and not all of them were appropriate to hear about when attempting to eat.

Sitting down beside her girlfriend Holly asked, "How was shift last night?"

Gail shrugged as she cut into her egg and started eating. "Okay, I guess. We spent the night watching for some big drug shipment that was supposed to be delivered but either the Detective's snitch got the date wrong, or is lying, then something went wrong because they were supposed to be there Thursday evening and they still haven't shown." Gail explained, she'd debated what to tell Holly about her work but after Ford, if Holly asked then Gail would answer.

She didn't even feel conflicted about it anymore. It was a trust thing for Gail, she trusted Holly to understand that this was her job and Holly trusted Gail to do everything in her power to stay safe and come home.

"Boring then?" Holly asked, knowing how the blonde hated spending time on an operation and having it come to nothing.

"Ugh!" Gail rolled her eyes for emphasis as she quickly chew down another mouthful of food. Washing it down with some juice before groaning again making Holly chuckle at her. "Oh, you wouldn't believe just how boring it was!" She went on. "McNally talks when she's bored Holly, do you know how excruciating that was? Hm? Ten hours, Holly, ten!" Gail asked with a look of annoyance on her face.

Holly had to hide her grin behind her coffee mug. "Must have been awful for you." She said with mock sympathy but Gail nodded along with her.

"You have no idea!" Gail replied as she cut into her pancakes. "I had to amuse myself by thinking of all the ways I could shut her up and have them not find her body."

Holly frowned. "I need to stop letting you read my journals."

Gail snorted a laugh at that. She was joking mostly. While Andy did get a bit talkative when she was nervous or bored one of Gail's patented glares usually worked well for at least a half hour of silence. But the pair were back on friendly terms again after the whole Nick situation. And Andy had mostly been giving her an update on Sam's condition so it wasn't all wasted time.

"So, after this do you wa-" Holly began only to be interrupted by the ringing of her doorbell.

Gail paused, she hadn't known Holly had a doorbell.

"You expecting someone?" She asked Holly as the other woman stood.

Holly shrugged, most of her friends would have called first as her schedule was never consistent enough for people to just drop by.

Gail sighed as Holly went to answer the door. She really hoped it wasn't anything that was going to delay her plans for the rest of the morning.

"Hey Gail, look who's here!" Holly said with exaggerated cheer as she re-joined Gail in the kitchen.

Gail took in Holly's raised eyebrows and widened eyes with a frown before eyeing her brother and Traci as they followed closely behind.

"Hey." Traci said standing awkwardly beside Steve as they eyed the pair and tried to ignore Gail giving them the evil eye.

Holly cleared her throat and grabbed a few dishes placing them into the sink then turned back to the three people in her house. She gripped her robe, making sure it was closed as she became aware of just how underdressed she was having not been expecting any visitors beyond Gail.

"I'm just going to…right." She trailed off disappearing from the room quickly.

Gail practically growled at her brother. "What the hell are you doing here? And how did you even know where to find me?" She hadn't given anyone Holly's address. With good reason, it prevented situations just like this one.

Steve kept a smile on his face having known his sister wasn't going to take this well. "What? You didn't answer your phone, I got worried."

Gail rolled her eyes at the lie. "I have the weekend off, I'm not planning on looking at my cell until Monday morning. And don't ignore me, I asked how you knew to come _here_?"

"I'm a Detective Gail, I detected." Steve explained with a shrug.

Traci, who hadn't been able to wipe the grin off her face from the moment Holly had answered the door finally let out a laugh as she took in her friend. "You look very…" She wanted to say almost naked but she doubted Gail would see the funny side of to that.

"Oh, shut up!"

"And the Beaches!" Traci continued with her teasing, knowing Gail's bark was always worse than her bite. "It's just so…not you!"

Gail groaned and let her head rest on the counter as her brother and Traci laughed at her. Then she lifted her head to show the pout on her face. "I know!" She agreed before she was distracted by Holly's return. "Why are you dressed?" She asked confused as to why Holly was now in jeans and a shirt, she'd even put on her glasses. She still looked great, but it was just added layers that Gail would have to remove soon.

Which reminded her.

"Why are you both here?" She asked her brother again crossing her arms over her chest as she waited for an answer, she'd get back to Holly and her clothes later, when Traci and her brother got lost.

"Well," Steve cleared his throat knowing he was stalling. "Like I said, I called, you've missed dinner the last few-"

"No!" Gail said as she stood up, shaking her head at her brother as she took her own plate into the kitchen as she tried not to lose her temper.

"She said to bring Holly by too." Steve quickly added.

Holly felt confused by the sibling's argument but when she heard the crash of plates in the sink she eased over to check on Gail who had both hands gripping the sink and her back to the three of them.

"You okay?" Holly asked in a whisper as she rested her hand on Gail's tensed back.

"Mmhm." Gail got out while biting down on her lip to stop herself from yelling at her brother.

Steve meanwhile didn't understand why Gail was being so difficult with their parents. "It's only dinner."

Gail spun around and glared at him. "It's _never_ just dinner with that woman!"

After that there was only tense silence in the room as Holly inched closer to Gail to try and calm her girlfriend down a little without touching her.

"Fine. No dinner at mom and dad's." Steve finally conceded much to Holly's relief as she watched Gail's body relax slightly.

"But how about dinner at my place tonight then?" He asked his sister. "Just the four of us?" He added as Gail and Holly shared a look.

"Whatever." Gail muttered as she got no help from Holly as to how she wanted her to answer.

"Great. About seven?" He asked, feeling better as he gave his sister a smile.

"Sounds good." Holly added as she smiled at her guests. "But listen, we were heading out," She continued wanting the visit to be over more for Gail's sake than the fact that it had gotten pretty awkward for everyone concerned. "But we'll see you both tonight. Let me just walk you guys out while Gail gets dressed." She said trying to usher the two Detectives out.

Gail snorted as she watched them go with no intention whatsoever of adding more clothes to her body while she was contemplating taking all of Holly's off as soon as possible.

"Hey." Holly said softly as she returned alone and walked right up to Gail and gave her a hug. "You really okay?"

Gail, still with her arms wrapped around Holly's body just nodded into her shoulder, enjoying the warmth of her girlfriend's body too much to want to move.

Holly just stood there, holding Gail as tight as she held her back. "Want to talk about it?" She ventured still worried over Gail's obvious issue with the idea of dinner with her parents. She had gathered enough information to know that whatever it was about it wasn't because of their relationship.

Gail sighed and shifted back enough to look Holly in the eye. "We just don't have the same memories of growing up." She explained as she studied Holly's face and wondered how much was enough to share, she wasn't looking for pity but Holly's face was open and relaxed without any hint of judgment.

She shrugged and glanced away. Holly kept pictures of her own family up around the living room and Gail thought it was nice how Holly got on so well with her family even if they didn't live nearby.

"Steve got lots of pats on the back and well done's, I got the 'don't embarrass us' talk. Several times." Gail told Holly trying to sound like it didn't still bother her but they both knew it did.

Holly pressed her lips to Gail's forehead in understanding and in an attempt to heal just a little bit of that hurt. Then Gail breathed on her neck and then they were kissing, gently, softly, lips barely brushing.

"What would she think of me anyway?" Holly asked as she eased out of another kiss and peppered Gail's jaw with kisses as the blonde's hand slipped under her shirt and worked its way up her back.

Gail snorted. "She'd be concerned with your love of all things dead, she'd probably want to look into any missing persons around where you lived growing up."

Holly's body shook in Gail's arms as she laughed.

"Would she think I've led you astray?"

"Please!" Gail muttered as she captured Holly's lips once more and then started to nudge them in the general direction of Holly's bedroom. "Who chased who exactly?"

As Holly opened her mouth to answer her back Gail crashed her lips to them in a heated kiss.

"Can we please stop talking about my mother?"

"Ugh." Holly swallowed and gave Gail a nod as her back hit a wall in the hallway. "Sure, we can, yeah." She managed as Gail struggled with tugging at her jeans, almost causing them to trip and fall.

"Why did you even get dressed anyway?" Gail muttered as she forced Holly to the floor and wrestled the jeans off, slipping in a tickle to Holly's side and feet just for the fun of it.

"No!" Holly scrambled back to her feet and gave Gail a warning look which did nothing to remove the playful glint in her girlfriend's eyes.

"I wasn't going to stand there in only a robe talking to your brother and his girlfriend." Holly muttered half indignant that Gail seemed to think Holly should have been okay doing exactly that.

Gail grinned thinking there was definitely room there for torturing Holly in the future.

"And now who's the one overdressed?" Holly asked capturing Gail's hands in her own in an attempt to prevent any more tickling from the blonde.

Gail pulls free and starts walking to the bedroom. "I thought you wanted me dressed. Aren't we about to head out?" She asks over her shoulder before disappearing into the room leaving Holly standing in stunned silence in the hallway in only her underwear.

Holly could almost feel her jaw falling at that.

Get dressed?

Go out?

"Oh, hell no, Blondie!" She muttered with a laugh and a shake of her head as she stalked after her girlfriend. As she got to the doorway she paused as she saw the robe on the floor and Gail under the cover of her bed.

It was an image she could get very used to.

Holly smiled at Gail before taking a step closer to the younger woman who was smiling coyly back at her.

"Maybe you should call your brother." She said resting her knee on the bed and edging over to place her hands on either side of Gail as she leaned over her.

"Why?" Gail asked with the start of a frown on her face as she gazed up at Holly.

"We're going to be late." Holly replied as she leaned down and nipped at Gail's bottom lip before slipping her tongue inside and sharing a heated kiss with the blonde who responded by reaching to undo Holly's bra.

Gail laughed into the next kiss and then she moaned as a hand retaliated for her own touches to Holly's body.

It was barely ten in the morning but if Holly thought they might be late to her brother's tonight, who was she to argue?


	2. Chapter 2

**AN/ **Because, really, who needs sleep?

**Part 2**

Holly looked fondly down at the figure inching its way over to snuggle at her side. She was sat up in bed reading while she allowed Gail to catch up on her sleep. She was content to remain there as long as needed, it was only just after three in the afternoon so she could still drag her girlfriend out to the shops if she wanted.

But for now it was just nice being with the blonde. She'd witnessed Gail change over the time since they'd met at the body dump in the woods that day. There was still a measure of hurt behind those expressive crystal blue eyes of Gail's but it had faded some, replaced with a lightness that Holly hoped she had some part in.

She sighed, turning a page of her book. She had the same book and many more on her Kindle, but there was just something about laying there in bed with her girlfriend and a book in her hands that brought a smile to Holly's face.

Because it bordered on routine.

She desperately wanted to have 'the talk' with Gail soon, but there was still that tiny bit of fear in Holly that held her back. She knew Gail looked at her sometimes over breakfast with a confused look on her face, her brow furrowed and her nose scrunched a little.

From the few conversations they had shared about their previously relationships, Holly knew that while Gail professed to be the one that always created situations to get out of relationships in reality, it was the other person that often did the leaving.

Nick.

Chris.

Nick again.

Gail had admitted to cheating on Nick the second time but she'd also confessed to having watched him falling for her friend while still coming to her bed at night. That had to have hurt, so Holly didn't judge her for it. Everyone had a past and everyone did things they wouldn't normally do if they were thinking and behaving rationally.

Holly had her own troubled relationships with men and women and she'd been on both sides of the coin when it came to heartbreak.

But she'd give everything to never be the cause of that to the woman beside her.

"Hey." Gail muttered, pressing her face into Holly's shoulder as she shifted and curled around her girlfriend. "You let me fall asleep." It came out sounding less accusatory than Gail had been aiming for but then she yawned and gave up trying to talk in favour of closing her eyes again. It was just too much of an effort to try and be mean when she felt this well rested.

Holly smiled and set her book aside along with her glasses. "You needed it." She answered back softly and scooted lower in the bed to gather the blonde into her arms.

"Morning…or afternoon really." Holly said as Gail automatically crawled on top of her and lifted her head for a kiss before settling back down to rest her head on her shoulder.

"Hm." Gail replied with a sigh as Holly started to gently run her hands over her bare back. It was a wonderful way to be greeted.

After a few minutes of quiet Gail took a deep breath and wriggled about on top of Holly making the older woman giggle, which had been what Gail had been hoping for.

"Just for that, I'm going to shower alone." Holly said flipping them over and pinning Gail down and kissing her just long enough to get away with scrambling out of the bed.

"Hey, get back here!" Gail called out not ready to start the day again just yet but Holly was already closing the shower room door.

She sighed in defeat before laying back and stretching out her body. She really like Holly's bed, it was big, comfy beyond belief and it smelled of the other woman. She could happily live here, although the list of places she could say that about had been growing in previous weeks and they all had a common denominator. They were all places Holly was.

Not that she planned on thinking about that one fact too much because then she risked scaring herself into doing something stupid and she'd already done enough of that to last a lifetime.

Maybe she was actually starting to mature.

Getting out of bed Gail slipped into a pair of Holly's sweatpants that had been cut off just below the knee and the tee that Holly had slept in last night while Gail had been on shift. The blonde went out of her way to grab those when she could, they were always a little baggy on her but the level of comfort they provided her was just shy of awesome. It was like having Holly wrapped around her all day.

Moving out into the living area Gail found her spot and took a calming breath before going through her yoga routine as she waited for her turn to shower, she could have gone upstairs and used the full sized bathroom but she'd rather wait and use Holly's shower and maybe complain about the towels hanging up or hair in the drain, like Holly expected her to.

It wasn't like at Dov and Chris's where it was a race to shower before they ran out of hot water, Gail could take as long as she wanted and there'd still be hot water. And Holly never complained.

Gail stretched and turned into another pose.

One of the first things she'd realised about Holly wasn't just her smile or the twinkle in her eyes when Gail snarked at her, it was that she genuinely saw the good things first, second and third. The woman wasn't a complainer and it took a lot to get her riled up about anything unless it was poor handling of evidence samples, then watch out, because Holly Stewart would let you know what you were about to die of.

Gail grinned at that thought. She hadn't been on the receiving end of that particular event, yet, but she'd heard stories in the lab when Holly wasn't around. It actually made her a little proud to know Holly could instil that kind of fear into her colleagues.

But maybe that was why they worked so well together, Holly just had it in her to deal with Gail when she was being rude, obnoxious and downright childish. Holly was the oldest of three siblings, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Whatever it was, Gail was just happy Holly had given her the time and space to work out that being with Holly was a damn sight better than being without her.

She had just about finished her routine when she heard soft footsteps heading her way.

"Hey, all yours." Holly said as she walked into the room towelling her hair dry.

"Hm." Gail took another few breaths then eased out of her final pose just as Holly stepped over and kissed her. "Hey."

"Hey." Holly replied with a grin as she stole another quick kiss. "Go shower."

Gail pouted then sighed dramatically before walking away.

Holly smiled after her then lifted an eyebrow as the blonde paused and turned back to her. "Yeah?"

"I was just wondering…"

"Uh huh?" Holly had found it best to never close off Gail's train of thought because it was still hard for the blonde to share parts of herself, and Holly treasured every bit that was offered to her.

"Your friend, you know, the one that set you up on that date," Holly nodded knowing Gail was referring to the night at the Penny, before the shootings and before their first proper kiss together. "You never told me who she was and you need to."

Holly blinked slowly. "Why?"

Gail shrugged then turned away heading for her second shower of the day. "I just owe her a beer or flowers or something."

Holly grinned.

She'd already paid her friend back for that, even if she had been trying to stop Holly from falling for yet another straight girl after having had to listen to Holly bemoan Gail passing on spending time with her due to being set up on yet another blind date by her mother.

She'd spent a weekend babysitting her friend's four year old while she and her husband had taken off for a break which Holly had paid for. It wasn't much, but Holly knew it was a combination of going on that date and the shootings the following day that gave Gail the push she needed to kiss her, because Holly couldn't put herself there, any change in their relationship had to come from Gail.

Holly was just grateful that change hadn't come as a result of a bullet.

xxxxxxx

Gail scowled as she walked beside Holly along Queen Street. It was a little after five and the crowded street was doing nothing to lift Gail's mood. She might have managed a smile if she'd been able to appease herself with the knowledge that she'd be able to go home with Holly after this, but no, she still had to suffer through whatever torture Steve had planned for her over dinner.

It made her stomach revolt thinking that he'd spend the evening trying to get her to go to a Peck family dinner because Holly wouldn't understand her refusal. She snorted. Steve didn't even understand it and he was her brother.

"You had enough?" Holly asked, looping her arm through Gail's as they came to a coffee shop.

Gail shrugged and headed them toward a table that was just being cleared. She smiled at the waitress that scurried away with dirty cups and dishes, and placed the few bags of shopping Holly had done so far down by her feet.

They sat down across from each other and both picked up a menu.

"What's this all for anyway?" Gail asked kicking one of the bags lightly.

Holly shrugged without looking up. "Just some things for tomorrow."

Gail grinned and shifted closer to the brunette. "And just what is it you have planned for me anyway?"

Holly laughed. "I'm not telling you. You'll just have to be patient a little while longer and all will be revealed."

Gail was still pouting by the time the waitress returned to take their orders, but that was okay, Holly knew by now what she liked so she was happy to leave the ordering to the older woman.

"I don't know what the big secret is but it sure better be worth it." Gail muttered as she reached for her cell as it buzzed in the pocket of her jeans.

"Work?" Holly asked nervously as she watched her girlfriend frown at whatever it was.

"Nah," Gail replied as she kept her head down and typed out a reply to the text message she'd got. "Just the geek squad wondering if we're going to the Penny tonight, someone from one of the other divisions is have a bit of a party after getting a promotion. Open bar. Sadly we're throwing that over for the fun of whatever scheme my brother has going with this dinner tonight."

Holly smiled her thanks as sandwiches and coffees were set down at their table.

She spent a few moments fixing Gail's coffee and then her own before asking, "You really think your brother's up to something?"

Gail snorted finally looking back up from her phone. "How many times have we been invited over for dinner Hol?"

"Uh…this would be the first."

"Exactly!" Gail replied taking a bite of her food. "And this invite only happened after he wanted me to turn up for dinner at mom and dad's. Pretty sure those two things are connected."

"Hm."

Holly waited until they were both almost finished before trying again, content for a while just to people watch in between her favourite pastime of Gail watching. Her girlfriend didn't seem too upset, a little annoyed maybe but not enough for Holly not to try digging just a little deeper into the subject.

"Do you not get on with them?" She asked carefully, keeping a close eye on Gail's body language but the blonde didn't tense up or even glare at her. "I'm mean you have that mug at your desk, the one that says 'dad'."

Gail chuckled and had to swallow quickly to prevent a choking incident. "That is there as a dig at my mom. Just so that in the event that she happens to turn up at 15 and amuse herself by checking out my station she can see which one of my parents I like best."

Holly had to wonder as to why Gail would go to the trouble for that. "Sounds very mature."

Gail shrugged. "My therapist seems to think I'm becoming more self-aware." She said with a sniff.

"Clearly."

"He was around more when I was growing up, that earned him points. But he didn't want me becoming a cop although my mom was pretty clear on it, and she was louder. They both lost points on that one." Gail explained.

Holly tried not to look as panicked as she felt by this turn in the conversation. "But you like being a cop, right?" Because if the answer to that was no, then Holly wasn't sure where to start helping her girlfriend.

"I don't think I'd know how to be anything else." Gail replied sipping at her coffee. "I would have rather joined under anything but the 'Peck' name, but I love my job Holly, I really do."

Holly let out a quiet, relieved, sigh.

"This one time they drove us out into the middle of nowhere and I got left to make my own way home. It took hours. Steve had told me about his turn but I hadn't really believed him until they drove away without me."

Holly just blinked, having no idea what to say about that and she was afraid to ask just how old Gail had been when that had happened.

"I grew up thinking I was playing games every family played together only to find out when I was older that it was all about what it took to be a cop." She continued to explain. "This is all I know."

Holly let Gail finish up her own food after that, and then she pulled out some cash for the bill and they gathered their bags and headed for the boardwalk.

Gail could see the Lake in the distance but the area was still too busy to really just enjoy the walk.

"My dad was, well still is, a heart surgeon." Holly spoke up as they walked hand in hand on their way back to her house. "And my mom worked as an ER doctor, so I kind of understand the family expectations thing you had growing up."

Gail grinned and nudged Holly with her shoulder. "And you rebelled by working on dead people, way to go Holly!" She said with a chuckle.

Holly smiled and stole a kiss because Gail was staring at her and because she could.

"Not really." She replied. "When I was a kid we went to Europe on holiday one year, and stayed in this country house, anyway, Jason and I were out exploring in the woods that surrounded the area and we found, I'm not sure actually, a dead fox, or maybe it'd been a dog." She explained. "So Jason wanted to take it back to show mom and dad but I convinced him it would be better just to bring dad out and show him. So we did, he wasn't as fascinated by it as we were."

"And so began your love of dead things?"

"No." Holly replied, pausing as they cut across the road and turned onto the road that would take them back to her house. "He told us off about touching it, not that we had. Jase took off looking for something else to play with and I just stood there looking at it, I asked him what had happened to it. I'd asked for a puppy for my birthday that year and the idea that someone's dog had died out there alone made me sad. He told me there could have been a lot of reasons it had died, from being hurt to just being old. I made him help me bury it before we left."

Gail studied Holly's face, the older woman still looked sad just recalling the memory. She squeezed the hand in hers and let Holly talk without interrupting.

"Fast-forward to med school and me working on a cadaver and I remembered that animal, and I remembered that my dad hadn't known how it had died." She turned to Gail now as they slowed their steps as they'd left the crowds behind them.

"Helping someone who's injured is important, and saving lives is important, but so is giving the people left behind the answer to the question why? Why is my brother, sister, partner, mom, dad, gone now?" Holly stated as she searched Gail's face for understanding.

Gail nodded quickly. "Of course it is Holly, you do an amazing job." She told her girlfriend earnestly. "And you help people find peace, even if it takes time to accept, it'd be so much harder to always wonder why and just never know."

Holly sighed. "My dad didn't think so when he found out what I wanted to specialise in."

Gail tried to hold back a giggle. She failed and Holly mock glared at her, only subsiding when Gail kissed her softly in apology.

"Luckily for me Jason thought I was nuts as well and told my dad he couldn't wait to become a surgeon and get to hold someone's life in his hands."

Gail rolled her eyes. "That's not ego at all."

"Oh, it totally is, but you need that to be good." Holly went on. "He didn't go into cardiothoracic surgery, he went into reproductive surgery. People are willing to pay a lot of money to try and have kids, and try and not have kids actually."

"Ah, well, good for him I guess."

"Hm, dad was proud enough. And with little sis still in med school he does still hint that she should spend time with him to see a real surgeon at work, but Elizabeth is still pretty set on Paeds."

They turned onto Holly's street and were soon unlocking the door and heading for the kitchen.

"I think we're both in the right jobs." Gail said as they both set about putting away the food Holly had insisted they needed for tomorrow.

Holly grinned and put her arms around Gail from behind to give her a hug.

"We wouldn't have met otherwise so I'm going to have to actually agree with you there Peck."

"The horror." Gail moaned as she tried to turn her head to capture Holly's lips but the older woman playfully avoided her enough that Gail was left pouting.

Shaking her head Holly relented and kissed her, only pulling away when she felt Gail's hands begin to wander. "Oh no, we still have to get to your brother's don't forget."

"How could I forget?" Gail muttered and pulled a face which got her another kiss.

Pulling away Holly swatted Gail on the butt and left her in the kitchen. Returning a few minutes later to place a bottle down in front of the blonde. "Will this do?"

Gail picked it up and read the label. It was an expensive bottle and she really didn't think her brother deserved it. "I guess."

"You are such a brat." Holly told her with a shake of her head and took the bottle from the blonde. "Come on, let's go. Don't want to be late now, do we?"

Very reluctantly Gail followed after Holly and out to the Z4 parked out front.

Steve lived on the other side of mid-town and as they drove Holly could see Gail start to withdraw into herself, or maybe she was just putting up those protective walls she had so many of.

The closer they got the more Holly wanted to turn around but then she was pulling up to the address Gail had given to her and it was too late.

They both sat there long after Holly had turned off the ignition.

"Ready?" Holly asked finally when they either needed to get out or drive away.

"Sure." But Gail sounded anything but as she stared out the windscreen.

Holly got out of the car and came around to Gail's side and held her hand to help her out of the car before locking it up. It was a nice neighbourhood and as they slowly walked up the path to Steve's house Holly saw the car Gail must have been staring at. "Traci's?"

Gail stayed quiet until they reached the door.

"My dad's."

"Oh."

"Yeah."


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

"Hey," Traci said following Gail out of the main room. "I'm really sorry. She just turned up five minutes ago. I didn't have time to call you."

Gail ignored her friend as she wandered around Steve's house, heading for his office.

Traci watched her friend open a few drawers.

"Ah ha!" Gail grinned having found her brother's stash in his desk drawer, lifting the bottle of whisky up to show Traci before she opened it and took a deep swallow.

Traci stepped closer to her friend, eyeing the door wondering if Holly or Elaine Peck were suddenly going to appear. "Is that really a good idea?" She asked as Gail took another drink.

Gail winced at the burn in her throat. It wasn't a great idea and she knew Holly wouldn't be pleased that this was Gail's answer to getting through dinner with her mother, but for Gail it was either some Dutch courage or she was heading out the front door and not coming back.

But she couldn't run out without Holly and her brother had dragged her into the kitchen so it was either this, or talking to her mom.

Easy decision.

"Yes, Traci." Gail replied finally, taking one last drink before placing the open bottle on her brother's desk and heading back into Hell. "Best fucking idea I've had tonight."

Traci sighed and followed her friend out. She'd told Steve they should have called Gail but he'd been convinced Gail was just dragging her heels with introducing Holly to their parents. Traci hadn't been able to refute that and then it was too late.

xxxxxx

Avoiding her mother Gail headed straight into the kitchen looking for her girlfriend.

Spotting Holly laughing at something her brother had said made her angry, but she tried to let it go as Holly saw her and her face lit up in greeting.

"Hey!" Holly said as a frowning Gail joined her and Steve as she helped him plate up.

Gail blanked Steve as she walked over to Holly.

"Hey, where did you-" Steve began to ask but Gail flipped him the bird as she got toe to toe with Holly and butted her head on to the older woman's shoulder with a distressed whine.

Gail huffed into Holly's neck and wrapped her arms around the other woman's waist. She sighed feeling Holly begin to rub her back, it calmed her but she didn't know if it was enough to face her mother over the dinner table. Maybe she should have kept hold of the whisky.

Steve frowned at his sister. "She called to ask if you would be there tomorrow, and when I said I'd try talking to you again tonight at dinner she said that was fine. Then she just turned up, what was I supposed to do, send her away?" He asked feeling defensive.

Gail turned her head to glare at him. She wanted to snap at him, tell him he shouldn't having been talking to their mother about her behind her back, that he shouldn't have told her about dinner. But if she started she wasn't sure she'd be able to stop and she couldn't drag Traci and Holly into the mess that was her relationship with Elaine Peck.

"I don't know Steve, maybe you could have kept your mouth shut for once?" Gail finally replied only to watch Steve shake his head at her. It made her stomach bottom out to see, he never took her arguments with their mother seriously.

She watched him pick up two bowls of food and head for the dining room where they were due to have dinner.

It hurt how easily he dismissed her feelings.

Holly studied Gail closely as she turned back around. Gail's eyes were clouded with emotion, sad and vulnerable, as they searched her own for answers. Holly's heart hurt for her girlfriend so she ignored the fact Gail had obviously found alcohol somewhere and pressed her lips to the blondes and she ran her hand through Gail's loose hair before cupping her cheeks and pulling back from the kiss.

"Do you want to leave?" Holly asked, more concerned with what this dinner was doing to Gail than how Gail's mother would think of her for just abandoning the whole thing.

Gail shrugged, her eyes dropping to her hands as she played with the bottom of Holly's top.

"Just…just promise that after this, no matter what happens, we go get drunk somewhere and just forget this night ever happened?" Gail asked quietly.

"We can do that, sure." Holly replied with a nod then she grinned. "But from the smell of your breath you're already ahead of me by a few."

Gail smiled widely. "You are driving tonight Hol."

"Oh, is that your excuse?" Holly asked with a chuckle. If a drink or two got Gail through this then she was okay with that, but she had not intension of drinking herself, Holly wanted to be sober enough to remember everything that happens tonight.

"Hey," Traci says interrupting them as she enters to pick up some more of the food that was laid out. "You guys coming in?"

Gail pouted at Holly but released the older woman from her hold and wandered over to her brother's fridge. She tuned out the conversation between Holly and Traci and reached for a beer, it was the least her brother owed her.

"Come on, can't hide away in here all night." Holly says reaching for Gail's hand to lead her into the dining room as they followed Traci.

"Says who?" Gail muttered as she was hauled along.

xxxxxx

"So, Molly-"

"It's _Holly_." Gail muttered but knew her mother played this game every time and wouldn't give it up.

"As I was saying," Elaine continued after giving her daughter an annoyed look for interrupting. "What is it you actually do for a living?"

Holly swallowed her food and flicked her eyes to Gail and Steve before looking back at the woman talking to her. She'd assumed Elaine Peck knew this much already. "I'm one of the senior forensic pathologists for the city." She explained.

"Senior?" Elaine asked sounding impressed. "And how old are you?" She asked off Holly's nod.

"Thirty." Holly replied.

"That's remarkable, you must be very good at your job to have advanced so quickly." Elaine said giving Holly a smile. "My son was the same, made Detective on his first try." She continued, aiming a proud look at Steve as she spoke.

Gail tried not to wince as she figured where her mother was trying to take the conversation.

"And you Traci, how long have you been a Detective?" Elaine asked.

Traci cleared her throat awkwardly, not feeling comfortable with the conversation but Elaine hadn't been overtly rude at all. "Almost two years." She replied quickly before trying to go back to her dinner.

"Oh, that's right!" Elaine said in a surprised tone, she then looked from Traci to her daughter who she gave a scathing look to. "You joined 15 at the same time as Gail, didn't you?"

Not wanting to reply, Traci just nodded and gave a quiet, "Yeah."

Elaine let the silence continue for a moment before humming. "Well good for you dear, I applaud good hard work and dedication, and you have a young son at home too don't you?"

"Yes." Traci replied before lifting a fork full of food into her mouth to prevent her continued contribution to the conversation.

"How wonderful." Elaine continued unfazed. "I only wish my own daughter would take your lead and apply herself more."

Gail finished off the beer she had and shot up wandering back into the kitchen for another.

"She's doing fine mom." Steve pitched in when Traci levelled him with a glare.

Elaine made a show of shaking her head in disagreement with Steve. "She's already been passed over for Detective, and with her record…"

Gail returned and slumped back into her seat. She took a drink before allowing herself to respond to her mother's subtle digs at her. "What about my record mom?"

Elaine sighed and sipped at her wine. "It's just, your father and I can only do so much."

Gail's eyes hardened at that. She'd never wanted her parents to give her a helping hand in her career, so it pissed her off that her mother was implying that she did.

"I've never asked-"

"You were suspended!" Elaine cut in. "Do you know what would have happened to you had you not been reinstated?"

Gail clenched her teeth together. That whole incident had been brought about by a series of mistakes but rather than let one of her colleagues lose their badge, which is what the investigator was planning to do, she'd walked in and taken full responsibility for it. She'd been suspended pending a full investigation but while that had been going she been asked to work on the missing call girl case, which had resulted in her kidnapping and…

Gail reached for her beer and drank down as much as she could.

"You were lucky to just be demoted." Elaine continued.

Licking her lips Gail had to wonder if that was all her mother remembered from that time, if it was the only thing she was concerned about. She snorted to herself and finished off her beer no longer interested in the plate of food in front of her.

It wasn't like anyone in her family had even visited her afterwards, not in the hospital, and not in the weeks after her release when she barely slept due to the nightmares and panic attacks she had suffered through.

Traci watched Gail's eyes glaze over and wished she could reach over and give her friend a hug. The shooting in the holding cell was the result of more than one officer making a mistake and they all should have been reprimanded but Gail had stepped forward and took the sole blame for it, and no one had thanked her for it either.

And then the Ross Perik case had happened, starting with Gail's kidnapping and ending in Jerry's death.

Traci couldn't form the supportive words for her friend as a lump formed in her throat at the memories of her loss and Gail's guilt at having survived.

Gail shook her head to dispel her thoughts. She wouldn't let her mother do that, take her back there. She knew the mistakes she'd made, and the cost of them on people she cared about, but she was a good cop.

She was.

"Maybe you've just spent too long behind a desk and don't remember what real police work is about." Gail hit back at her mother.

Elaine narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "I did my time in uniform and I was one of the best around." She insisted.

Gail nodded, she remembered, how could she forget really, her mother had made her polish her medals and trophies as she stood over her shoulder retelling each and every arrests often enough.

"Then you should have no problem if I spend my whole career as a beat cop."

Holly watched Elaine's eyes widen at the prospect.

Gail wanted to feel good at her small victory when her mother fell silent and spent timing eating instead of talking but she knew the older woman was just regrouping and looking for another angle to get her views across.

Gail had yet to win the war with her mother, so she knew whatever success she might get tonight, she'll have losses to suffer through as well.

"And what about you Molly, would you be happy if this was all Gail amounted to? Assuming of course you are still…together." Elaine asked as she stared down the pathologist.

"As long as Gail's happy then what does it matter?" Holly replied quickly, her hand moving across to rest on Gail's thigh.

Elaine tilted her head, looking at Holly as if confused by her answer. "But you're obviously a well-educated girl, I'm sure you could have your pick of professional women, why would you settle for someone with no aspirations for herself?"

Traci sucked in a breath as Elaine put her own daughter down again.

Holly blinked then looked at Gail in concern.

Gail shrugged, flicked a finger in Elaine's direction as the table fell silent awaiting her reaction. "My mom." She told Holly giving her girlfriend a dopey grin as the alcohol in her system started to affect her ability to care. Instead she lifted her beer again only to pout as she found it empty.

"Okay then," Holly said getting up from the table. "We'll be leaving." She informed Traci and Steve as she helped a grinning Gail to her feet and tried to escort her out of the room.

"Cool!" Gail wanted to cheer but her head spun as she stood and she had to settle for gripping Holly instead which was just as good.

They were leaving, Holly wanted them to leave.

She couldn't stop grinning at that. She gave what she thought was a wave in her mother's direction. "Been fun as always, we must do this again!" She called back as she was guided out of the room.

Traci scrambled up to help Holly as she realised that Gail was pretty tipsy.

She met the pair out in the hall as Holly struggled to open the front door and keep Gail from helping her into her jacket.

"Let me get that." Traci insisted opening the door and following the pair out into the front yard.

She crossed her arms over her chest as she watched Holly help Gail into the passenger seat of her car. She didn't know what to say to the two of them but as Holly rounded the car to get into the driver's side she leaned down beside Gail.

The blonde was a little pale and would probably have a nice hangover by morning.

"So it's not just the public speaking then?" She asked her friend as Gail blinked at her with sad eyes.

Gail huffed out a breath in a sigh, her head was cloudy but that was okay because Holly was there and Holly would look after her.

"Sorry about Jerry." She muttered at her friend before closing her eyes so she didn't cry.

Traci shared a very concerned look with Holly and mouthed 'call me' to the other woman, worried about what would happen when the pair left. She waited until Holly nodded at her before turning her attention back to the blonde.

"We've been over this Gail, it wasn't your fault. Sleep it off and we can talk later if you want." She said, reaching in to rest her hand on Gail's shoulder but the other woman kept her eyes closed.

She withdrew her hand and stood as Holly turned the car engine over. She waved as they drove off and stayed there long after the car had disappeared from view.

Steve shuffled up to Traci and bounced on his toes. Dinner hadn't gone nearly as well as he'd been hoping. "That could have gone better." He said quietly.

Traci glared at her boyfriend.

She shook her head and then went to her own car as Steve moved after her. As she got in and fastened her seatbelt she wound the window down and Steve rested his hand on the frame.

"Don't call me until you've talked to Gail and fixed this, because Steve, Gail happens to be my friend and I won't be another part of whatever this was tonight." She told him, overcome with the urge to go home and hug her son.

"I didn't do anything!" Steve protested only to receive a scolding look from Traci.

"Exactly." Traci replied. "You just sat there and let your mother say all of that tonight and not once did you even try and stick up for Gail."

Steve frowned. "Hey, my sister's tough, she can hold her own."

Traci shook her head and started her car. "Just talk to her."

"Fine."

Steve watched her drive away and then went back inside. His mother was still sat at the table eating her dinner. She looked up as he sat down.

"So," Elaine began, the beginnings of a smile on her face. "Tell me everything you know about this 'Holly' person."

Steve swallowed, wondering exactly what he'd gotten himself into.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

Gail blinked and inhaled deeply as her fuzzy mind informed her that there was laughter coming from somewhere nearby.

Groaning she turned over onto her back and looked around for Holly as she rubbed the morning sleep from her eyes. It disappointed her to find herself alone in bed when she clearly remembered being wrapped up tight in Holly's arms as she fell asleep last night.

She narrowed her eyes and glared at the door as she heard a distinctive male laugh, but why Chris would be at Holly's she had no idea.

Grumbling to herself and in desperate need to find her girlfriend, if only to drag her back to bed, Gail shoved on the nearest clothes she could find and slipped into a robe before going in search of Holly.

She stopped in shock as she saw a mass of faces in the living room all spread out as Chloe and Dov battled away at Street Fighter II on Holly's old PlayStation 2.

"Hey Gail!" Chris called at her as he walked into the room from the kitchen area. "You almost missed out." He said gesturing to the plate of food he was carrying. "I got seconds." He grinned at her before trying to squeeze onto the couch beside Dov. "Winner stays on right?"

Gail shook her head in annoyance that her last day of freedom before another week of chasing down bad guys was being ruined by her idiot friends.

xxxxxx

Traci was sat with Andy and Leo at the breakfast bar finishing up their own food as Gail walked in with a look that meant certain pain to all that got in her way.

It was entertaining, and Traci had to hide her smile by turning away and looking at Andy who was clearly still intimidated by Gail if the frozen look on her face was anything to go by.

"Where the hell is my gun?" Gail asked as she ignored Holly at the stove and opened up drawer after drawer before starting on the cupboards.

Huffing and not finding the chuckles from at least two of the other women in the room with her funny, Gail slammed another door closed before turning to rest her back against the worktop and fold her arms across her chest.

"You, kid," Gail said to Leo who was looking at her with undisguised glee at the prospect that she was going to tell someone else in the house off. He'd seen her shout louder than his mom and gran and he always thought she enjoyed it. "You get a pass 'cause I doubt you drove yourself here, so eat up before it gets cold." She continued, "But the rest of you…"

Holly shook her head at Gail then came over and ushered her over to one of the free stools and sat her down even as she continued to groan. "Sit, I'll get you some breakfast."

"There are people in your house Holly, you should call it in, we can claim self-defence I swear." She informed Holly who just went back to the stove unconcerned at her distress.

Gail sighed then studied the pair in front of her, Andy looked at least a little bashful, unlike Traci who wasn't even trying to hide her amusement now.

"What did you do Trace, sell tickets?!"

Traci laughed. "I should have right?" She replied as she helped Leo cut up another pancake. "And I'll have you know we were all _invited_ this morning."

"No way!" Gail flashed an accusing look at Holly but the older woman just placed a plate of food down in front of her before patting her on the head in a very condescending manner before moving away again.

"Eat, before it gets cold." Holly said with a smile to herself as she repeated what Gail had said to Traci's son. She was kinda acting like a child right now so it fit.

"Hardy, har." Gail muttered as Andy finally joined in with Traci's laughing.

But Gail did as she was told and smiled her thanks to Holly as a glass of juice was placed down in front of her.

"So, seriously, what are you all doing here, other than scrounging for food?" Gail asked as she accepted that she didn't have much chance of kicking anyone out of Holly's and taking her girlfriend back to bed.

"Your hair's funny." Leo spoke up causing Andy to quickly cover her mouth so as not to make her laughing obvious to the temperamental blonde.

Gail narrowed her eyes at the boy who grinned up at her, kicking his feet against the footrest of his stool, then she took a sip of her juice. "Wait until your mom isn't around and I dip your face in that syrup, then we'll see who looks funny."

"Hey, play nice you two before I have to separate you." Holly said as she sat down beside Gail with her own plate.

"Hey." Gail smiled at her and leaned over stealing her first kiss of the morning.

Holly just smiled although her eyes went to Traci not sure how she and Gail should act around the other woman's son, but she wasn't going to reject a kiss from Gail.

Traci just smiled at the pair.

"You kissed!" Leo called out wide eyed.

"Uh huh," Gail replied still eating. "Girls are much nicer than boys, boys are yucky!"

Leo shook his head rapidly in disagreement. "Girls are yucky!"

Gail stuck her tongue out at him. "Whatever kid." He laughed and went back to his pancakes.

Holly stroked her thumb across the material of the shorts Gail had on as she was surprised by how well the blonde had handled that situation. Holly had seen Traci struggle to think of something to say but she just smiled when Gail spoke and her son seemed fine to agree to disagree on which gender was 'yucky'.

A throat clearing caused them all to look up to see Nick stood awkwardly in the doorway carrying a few dirty plates.

"I was just bringing these back." Nick said although he was frowning and seemed to have his eyes fixed in Gail's direction.

"What?" Gail asked impatiently as he just stood there.

Shaking himself Nick walked over to the sink where a basin of soapy water was waiting and slid the dishes in. "Nothing," He said turning to walk back out of the room but stopped just as he came even with Gail. "I just…didn't think you liked eggs."

Gail narrowed her eyes at him. "Really?" She asked, her voice lifting higher as she couldn't believe he was bring that up when he was in her girlfriend's house and after eating breakfast that Holly had made. "Maybe I just prefer Holly's idea of breakfast for two than yours."

"Whatever." Nick muttered as he left the room.

"What is his problem?" Holly asked not sure what to make of that, but she hadn't liked his tone with Gail.

Andy winced, looking at Holly and Gail sheepishly. "Sorry, that's probably my fault." She explained.

Gail shook her head. "Don't do that." She told Andy, not wanting her to blame herself for anything Nick did or said. "How is Sam anyway?"

Andy shrugged and fiddled with her empty plate.

"McNally?" Traci said figuring out something must be wrong and wanting her friend to share so they could try and help.

Sighing, Andy kept her eyes down as she explained, "Marlo turned up last night."

"Oh." Traci said knowing how hard that must have been for Andy, especially as she and Sam couldn't actually start dating because he was still officially with Cruz.

"Yeah, so…" Andy shrugged again not sure what else to say.

"Good." Gail said causing her to get more than one look of censure. "What?" She asked, "If they never break up how are Andy and Sam ever going to get their acts together?"

A moment of silence followed and Gail took advantage of it to finish her food and take her plate over to join the other dirty dishes steeping.

"She kinda has a point." Traci informed Andy.

"I guess." Andy conceded.

"So, is someone going to finally tell me why you all are here?" Gail asked plopping herself back down and eyeing everyone within view as a cheer sounded from the other room.

Andy stood quickly and scurried from the room muttering something about it being her turn.

Traci just smiled at Gail and helped her son down off the stool before depositing his plate and her own into the sink.

Gail watched her friends leave with a grin and a shake of her head. She was quite happy to be left alone in a room with her girlfriend. "What are you up to?"

Holly gave Gail her best smile and they both leaned in for a kiss. "I just thought a bit of fun with your friends was in order," Holly ignored Gail's snort at calling the people in her home 'friends'. "But don't worry, we'll get rid of them soon enough."

Gail grinned at that.

"I already told you I have plans for us later. Just the two of us." Holly continued before ducking forward to capture Gail's lips again. "So you can't be too mad at me, right?"

Gail got up chuckling. "Oh Holly, you have no idea." She said before wandering off to go fix her hair and dress, and maybe shower.

xxxxxxx

"No way!" Gail said, her eyes lighting up as Holly pulled in behind Chris and Nick's jeeps.

Holly watched the blonde practically bounce in her seat before scrambling out the second she pulled on the breaks. She was glad the blonde's mood had lifted so much from the depression that had settled in when they returned to her house last night.

She'd helped Gail to wash and then tucked her into bed, watching over her and cuddling with her until the blonde eventually fell asleep. Holly had stayed with her for a while before retreating out of the room to call Traci and talk over the events of the evening.

This morning's activity was partially Traci's suggestion and Holly had left it to the other woman to invite whoever else along with the three of them and her son. But she had asked Traci specifically not to ask Steve along because she didn't want Gail to have to focus on her family issues instead of just cutting loose for a few hours and having some fun.

"I take it back Stewart, maybe you do know how to have fun after all." Gail said as she waited for Holly to catch up with her to join the others milling around outside the large warehouse.

"Have you been before?" Holly asked catching Gail's hand in her own as they walked to the entrance.

Gail shook her head. "Nope, some of us went paintballing before though." The paintballing site was actually only about a mile from where they were. "That was fun."

"Maybe we can do that next time." Holly offered, eager for Gail to spend time outside of work with people she knew accepted her for who she was.

"Sure." Gail replied offhandedly as they met the others and stood around in a circle.

"So, how do we do this?" Chris asked wanting to set some ground rules in quickly if they were to be any.

Gail shrugged. "Depends how busy it is." She said not wanting to agree to anything that wouldn't be possible.

Holly cleared her throat drawing the attention of the others. "It's actually, booked out just for us for the next few hours." She added quietly.

"Sweet!" Chris said impressed.

"Then I say we do a proper race at some point." Dov put forward, aware that Leo wouldn't be able to go full out but how could you pass up _not_ racing at one of the biggest indoor go karting tracks in Canada.

"I'm in." Nick said quickly followed by the others.

"Hey, how about we make this a little bit more interesting and put into a pot?" Dov asked looking around at his friends.

"This is supposed to just be a bit of fun guys." Holly said trying to be the voice of reason but was met with eye rolls and scoffs as everyone except Leo reached for their wallets.

Traci came up on Holly's other side. "Leo may look the youngest but he's far from the biggest kid with this bunch."

"So I'm learning."

Gail looked up from handing her twenty over to see Holly stood with Traci and Leo.

"Hey Nerd, you too." She called over and bit her bottom lip as the older woman started approaching her.

"I suppose it's only fair." Holly said reaching for her purse and adding her share to the pot.

Gail grinned at her girlfriend and kissed her when she turned back around to face her. "So much better than your last idea." She informed her before kissing her one last time and heading over to Traci and Andy.

Proud of herself for having a small part in cheering her girlfriend up Holly started after the other girls as the guys started arguing over who to trust with the money. Chloe eventually claimed the duty and pocketed the cash.

That batting cages hadn't been the disaster Gail continues to make them sound, but as good as that night had gone Holly had high hopes of today exceeding it.

"Seriously, best girlfriend or what?" Gail asked as she slung her arm around Andy's shoulder to knock the other woman sideways. Andy pushed her back with a laugh.

"She's a keeper." Traci replied in a more serious tone than Gail's question had been asked in.

Gail looked over her shoulder at her oncoming girlfriend and couldn't help but silently agree, she may not be ready to declare it to the world but Holly was definitely becoming a bigger part of Gail's life.

Maybe the biggest.

And the surprising thing about that to Gail was that it didn't frighten her even a little anymore.

"You ready for this?" Gail asked as Holly caught up to her.

Holly smiled as Gail laced their fingers together and they entered the building, walking into a closed off visitors section where two members of staff were ready and waiting to go over safety and equipment with the group.

She stood with Gail as they listened to all the instructions about helmet wearing and how to strap themselves into the karts, which peddle did what and where the safety, no racing lane was.

They were then given overalls to wear and shown to the change rooms.

"You know, I'll split the money with you guys if we manage to just stop one of the guys from winning, we'll never hear the end of that." Andy said as they changed.

Gail grinned. "I'm in, though I'm kinda planning on crashing into each and every one of them out there."

"It's karting not dodgems, Gail." Traci said, a touch concerned over her son getting caught up in the cross fire if they all started doing the same thing.

Rolling her eyes Gail sighed. "Fine, but you'll regret saying that on the ride back." She warned.

"Isn't this supposed to just be a game?" Holly asked cautiously as Andy and Gail started talking strategy.

Gail snorted and stood to zip up her overall then walked over to her still seated girlfriend.

Leaning over Gail whispered, "I thought you'd know by now that I _always_ play to win." Then she winked at Holly and sauntered out of the room.

Traci eyed Holly as she thought she saw the hint of a blush work itself up the other woman's cheeks.

Andy had also watched the interaction with interest. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen Gail this happy." She said softly. When Holly looked at her Andy smiled and stood. "I'm glad she has you." She added before leaving.

Chloe just smiled without comment then hurried to catch up with Dov before they started.

"I'll second and third that." Traci said quickly as she joined Holly who'd laughed at her comment. "I'm serious, you should have seen her before. The mood swings alone!" She shook her head in remembrance.

"Oh, come on, was she ever that bad?" Holly didn't understand why no one else saw just how much Gail protected herself from being hurt.

Traci shrugged, looping her arm through Holly's as they headed out to join the rest of the pack.

"She's been through a lot." She said quietly to the other woman. "It's just nice to see her find someone she can be herself around. She was never like this, not even with Chris."

Holly nodded along finding it interesting that Traci mentioned Chris but not Nick, whom she knew from Gail that she'd almost married.

"Of course, if you hurt her, we'll kill you." Traci added as sternly as she could causing them both to pause before a smile broke over Traci's face and they both chuckled.

"Duly noted."

"Good, now let's go before my son loses his mother." Traci said as Gail glared at them from afar, clearly wondering what the holdup was and blaming Traci.

Holly saw the same thing but it only made her smile. "You don't think that's cute?"

Traci snorted a laugh.

"No?"

"My god, you two are just…" Traci shook her head and walked away from Holly, partly to get out of Gail's firing line but also so she could join her son who was stood with the guys.

"What was that all about?" Gail asked as Holly finally joined her with the group as they waited to pick out karts.

Holly shook her head and shrugged, but couldn't keep the delighted grin off her face. "I think your friends just gave me their approval on dating you."

Gail frowned eyeing Andy who was nearest to them but McNally just smiled back at her and gave her a quick thumbs up. Gail shook her head wondering what was suddenly different now. They had all met Holly several times before, whether at 15, the Penny or at the apartment.

"Did we need their approval?" She speculated still puzzled by the idea.

Holly shrugged then focused on what the others were doing. If she couldn't get the approval of Gail's parents then to Holly it was all the more important that Gail's friends, her colleagues, the people she trusted with her life at work, accepted their relationship.

Traci and Andy's words made Holly feel like she'd passed some test she'd never known about.

She bumped shoulders with the blonde as they got closer to front. "So who do we take out first?"

Gail squealed and pulled Holly into a hug and kissing her soundly before releasing her and eyeing those around them looking for her first target. She was tempted to pick Chloe just for the hell of it but decided to play nice, the younger woman _was_ just out of the hospital.

Her eyes narrowed on Dov. She wiggled her eyebrows at Holly then eyed Dov again hoping her girlfriend got the idea.

Holly nodded in agreement.

Gail bounced on her toes eager to get the racing underway. "You are _so_ getting lucky tonight Nerd."


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

"There's no way that counts!" Dov said looking for Chris to back him up but Chris just shrugged and took a drink from his water bottle.

They'd been racing around for over an hour before Dov got them all together to race for the pot of cash and one lap later Dov was nursing fifth place. Behind Traci, Chris, Holly and Leo.

"He wasn't even playing!" He continued to complain as they all sat around taking a break and snacking from the food service area beside the track.

"Shut up Dov." Gail called out, finally having had enough of the whining. "He crossed the line first. He wins. Get over it." She bit out with a glare of her own.

Chloe scowled at the blonde but kept quiet as Dov threw his hands up in defeat.

"Come on, I'll race you for the first round of drinks at the Penny tonight." Chris offered as he stood to coax Dov back out onto the track.

"Fine."

Gail picked up another fry and bit into it as she watched the pair head back towards the karts. Then she grinned and looked across her table to Leo who she put her hand out to for a high five which caused Leo to giggle and slapped at her hand.

Traci grinned at them then eyed Gail, "Thanks for contributing to his college fund." She said.

Holly shook her head from her seat beside her girlfriend. Gail and Andy had taken out Dov and caused a pile up close to the last bend of the track, she'd been far back enough to go around it but she'd slowed to make sure Gail wasn't hurt. Her girlfriend had shouted at her to just keep going and then it was Holly against Traci with Chris quickly righting his kart and chasing after them.

It wasn't until they'd crossed the line that they saw Leo just ahead of them.

And although he'd been sticking to the no overtaking lane, he had started with the rest of them and crossed the line first.

Traci had been thrilled as they all realised they'd lost to a seven year old and carried Leo up onto her shoulders singing 'we are the champions' much to Leo's utter delight.

Gail and Andy had raced over and joined in the celebration before the group turned to Chloe for the winnings which lead to the guys, mainly Dov, complaining that Leo's win didn't count and that Gail and Andy had cheated.

"That was totally worth it!" Gail said turning to her girlfriend as Leo proclaimed to need the toilet and was lead off by Traci leaving them at their table alone. She'd been targeting Dov every chance she got and now with Leo winning the pot, it was just icing on the cake.

"And Leo will remember today for a long time." Holly said finishing up her burger.

Gail nodded her head thinking back to Traci and all the cell phone pictures she had taken of her son holding up a little plastic trophy that they bought at the store nearby for the occasion. She looked around the area impressed by the layout, including the track there was a large enclosed play area for kids and a large food court which they were currently taking advantage of.

"How much longer do we have this place to ourselves for?" She asked Holly as she picked up and opened a bag of chips, offering them first to Holly who declined and then eating a handful herself.

Holly checked her watch. "Less than an hour, why you keen to go again?"

Gail pouted and shook her head. "I think I broke my kart, one of the staff was giving me the evil eye when I pulled it in."

Holly grinned.

"I don't mind watching if you want to take out Dov again for me?"

Holly laughed at Gail's hopeful expression, she laughed harder when she noticed the glare Chloe was aiming at Gail from the next table where she was left sitting with Nick.

"I'm good." Holly replied not really up for another race if Gail wasn't.

Gail looked at the empty food carton in front of her and the soda can. "Coffee?"

"Sure." Holly said but when Gail continued to stare at her she finally got the hint and stood up. "Why don't I go get that for you?"

Gail just smiled adorably at her and watched Holly head off.

At a slight loss as to what to do now Gail looked around and saw Chris and Dov side by side as they took the corner of the track that bordered the food court. A little part of her hoped Chris won but she was sure her friend would lose on purpose just to try and appease Dov's ego.

That boy did like to win no matter the contest.

With Holly, Traci and Chris gone Gail would normally try and talk to Andy next but she'd been gone since they'd sat down after getting a call that had her grinning from ear to ear and taking off for some privacy.

It had been obvious to everyone that it had been a call from Sam.

But it left Gail without a fall back given that things were weird with Nick right now and she avoided all possible contact with Chloe when she could get away with it. She's still not sure she's forgiven the other woman for springing a husband on Dov even if they did work it out between them when she woke up in the hospital.

Sighing she felt for her phone to check her messages, undoing her overall to reach into her jeans pocket. That would waste time until Holly got back. There was 3 texts from Steve and 1 from Oliver. She read Oliver's text and found an invitation for dinner with him and Celery next time she had a night off and wanted to stop by. With Holly of course.

She grinned reading that, it would be nice spending time with Ollie when they weren't at the Penny or at a hospital. She'd have to check with Holly but she did text back and told him that they'd work out a date this week.

She deleted the text messages from her brother.

"So,"

Gail glanced up from her phone to find Nick in the seat Traci had been sat in across from her.

"Holly." He finished.

Gail blinked and readjusted her overall having replaced her cell into her pocket. She frowned at him not sure why he was even speaking to her. "Holly what?" She had to ask.

Nick shrugged.

Gail turned away from him and glanced back over to the track to try and watch Dov and Chris.

"Are you, like, gay now?" He asked, studying her face for a reaction.

Tilting her head and taking a moment to answer, Gail replied, "How is that, _any_ of your business?"

"We were going to get married Gail."

"I thought you said that was never serious."

"But you were."

Biting her lip to keep her emotions from spiralling, Gail's eyes hardened. "We broke up nearly three months ago Nick, you moved on and so have I. So why are we even having this conversation?"

He opened his mouth to answer but Gail quickly put up her hand and shook her head.

"You know what," She said, standing up. "I don't care, we're not having this conversation." And with that she walked over to lean on the railing of the race track and wait on Holly.

She jumped when Nick appeared at her elbow.

"This isn't you Gail, I know you," He said a frown on his face. "You aren't gay."

Scoffing Gail glanced around for Holly or Traci but they still weren't back. "Obviously Nick, you don't know me." And with that she tried to walk away only to have Nick grab at her arm to hold her in place. "Hey, let go!"

"I do know you Gail." Nick replied as the blonde struggled free of his grip. He stepped closer to her as she backed away from him. "I've slept with you enough to know there's no way you're gay."

"Fuck you Nick!" Gail spat at him leaning in to point her finger into his face.

And then there was a commotion at the railing causing Gail to turn and see Chris jump over quickly with Dov a few meters behind him where they had abandoned their karts on the track.

Chris pulled his helmet off and came up to Gail, eyeing Nick dangerously, having seen Gail pull free from his hold when he'd looked over from his kart as he took the turn nearby.

"You okay Gail?" He asked her, as he dropped his helmet to the ground.

Gail glanced around seeing Holly and Andy approaching together, Holly with two cups of what she knew to be coffee in her hand. Her girlfriend smiled at her and Gail smiled back before looking to Chris.

"Everything's fine." She told him and walked past him and Dov who'd been join by Chloe.

There was silence then, as Holly and Andy arrived and eyed the group wondering why they were all standing around with Chris almost facing off with Nick.

"Is it because you were raped?" Came Nick's voice just as Gail was accepting her coffee from her girlfriend.

The coffee dropped to the floor as Gail screwed her eyes shut, not wanting to believe Nick had just said that to her.

And then there was a thump and a thud and Gail spun around to see Chris standing over a fallen Nick who had his hand over his mouth.

"No Chris, don't!" Gail shouted not wanting the pair to start fighting. She went over to her friend and placed her hands on his chest, pushing him until he moved away from Nick who was struggling to his feet. "Please, it's not worth it."

Dov stepped past them.

"I think you should leave." He said to Nick, ready to finish what Chris started if he didn't go.

Nick worked his jaw, checked his hand for signs of a bloody nose then shook his head and walked off.

Chris watched Nick go and when he was sure he wasn't going to be a problem anymore he ducked his head to Gail who still had her hands on him. "You okay?"

Gail shook her head fighting tears.

Taking a minute to blink the tears back Gail reached for Chris' hand, his knuckles were scuffed but the skin hadn't been broken. "You shouldn't have."

"He deserved it."

Gail sighed and then Holly was beside them, watching her, and Gail couldn't face the questions right now. Not without breaking down.

"Can you check that?" She asked her girlfriend, indicating Chris' hand.

"Sure." Holly replied softly as she took hold of the hand from Gail, checking the bones and joints for any sign of damage.

"What's going on?" Traci asked as she returned with Leo who had a toy race car in his hands.

No one spoke.

Gail sighed wanting to forget the whole incident. She smiled at Leo. "Hey shortstop, wanna have one last race, double or nothing?"

"Yeah!" Leo said in a shout with pumped fist. "Can I?" He asked turning to his mom for permission.

Traci smoothed her hands along her son's shoulders having seen the distressed look in Gail's eyes. "Sure, but you two play nice."

Leo grinned and took off to his kart after handing off his new toy to Traci.

"I'll come too." Andy said sure that Traci wouldn't want Leo around to hear about it and wanting to keep a close eye on the blonde.

Holly snorted and glanced at Gail. "I'm surprised you've heard of that word."

Gail turned. "What do you mean? It's a nickname for a short person Hol," She then pointed in the direction of Leo. "Little."

Holly shook her head and turned back to Chris. "You'll be fine, if it starts to swell you might want to ice it."

Chris nodded and thanked her.

"You okay?" Traci asked as Gail paused beside her. The blonde certainly didn't look okay and from what she'd seen Holly doing her concern was only increasing.

Gail shrugged not wanting to mention Perik around the other woman. "You should probably give Steve a call, you're going to need another ride back." She told her before walking off to join Andy and Leo for one last race.

Traci watched her go then crossed her arms over her chest and eyed the rest of the group needing answers from someone.

Chris shrugged. "All I saw was Nick grabbing hold of Gail." He pointed over his shoulder to the race track where two employees were removing his and Dov's karts from the track.

Chloe cleared her throat, looked at Dov and then over to Traci. "Nick was asking her about being with Holly now, and if that made her gay-"

"No!" Chris cut in, frowning at Chloe. "You don't get to talk about her like that, like you know her, you don't!"

"Hey." Dov said softly trying to intervene between his girlfriend and his best friend. The fact that they were talking about Gail, someone he counted as a close friend also made it sound like his defence of Chloe was only a token protest.

"No, Chloe's that last person Gail would want talking about her behind her back and you know it!" Chris replied quickly.

Holly sat down and picked up her forgotten coffee. It was no doubt cold by now but she just needed something to do with her hands. Soon the others were sitting down around her.

She looked over at Chris then. "So you tell us." She asked him reaching over and placing a hand over his hurt one. Gail had gone and she had also taken Leo out of the group so Holly felt it safe to assume that her girlfriend was aware that they would be discussing what had happened between her and Nick.

Chris looked down at Holly's hand covering his and then met her eyes.

And then quietly he told her.

Not because Traci wanted to know, but because Holly was going to be the person Gail turned to if she needed someone.

xxxxxxx

Twenty minutes later they were all changed and heading out into the parking lot to head back home.

"Someone called?" Steve said with a smug grin as he spotted the group emerge from the entrance and moved from resting against his own car.

Gail rolled her eyes at her brother and grabbed Holly's hand and gave him a wide berth as Traci walked over to him with Leo.

"Gail?" Steve called out as he saw his sister and Holly going over to the blue Z4 he knew to be Holly's car. "Can you hold up a minute, Gail?"

"Still ignoring you!" Gail called out as she got into the passenger side and closed the door and buckled up.

Andy chuckled at her friend's treatment of her brother wondering what was going on with the siblings now and if she really wanted to know.

"Let's go before he comes over." Gail said with a grin to Holly wanting the other woman to hurry it up.

Holly shook her head but backed out and drove out of the lot and on to the main road. "So mature." She muttered.

"Hey, I'll talk to him, he just has to work for it." Gail replied. This was the way she always treated Steve when he did something to piss her off. They weren't particularly close as siblings but they had a way of interacting that worked for them.

It didn't really matter if they didn't speak for weeks or months, they were still brother and sister and that meant they'd work it out eventually and they'd be back to normal. Or at least whatever rated as normal for the Peck siblings.

"So what do you have planned for me tonight?" Gail asked wanting to skate right over the idea of bringing up the Nick issue.

Holly waited until she had to stop at a traffic light before turning and giving Gail a serious look.

Gail held the gaze before slumping in her seat and pouting.

"We really need to talk about this Gail, and about what happened last night." Holly said insistently as she drove off again in the direction of her house.

"Can't we just pretend neither of those events happened and move right along to my surprise?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"You should know that ignoring things doesn't make them go away Gail."

"Now you're sounding like my therapist." Gail huffed.

Holly grinned and waited her girlfriend out as she continued driving.

"So let's see…I'm either with you because I'm 'experimenting', I am incapable of finding myself a guy since Nick 'the stud' Collins, or now it's because I was raped by a serial killer!" Gail said to Holly, "Or would you rather discuss my mother, who seems to find fault with everything I do including the way I breathe!" Gail heard Holly snigger at that. "Oh, don't laugh, the last time I lived at home, she would correct my walking posture, the way I sat, even the way I spoke at the dinner table."

Holly was quiet as she drove, trying to form a reply to Gail's little tirade. Holly wasn't stupid, she could tell Gail was trying to skip over her rape by making a joke about her mother, but Holly had already known that had happened to Gail, having worked the body found in the woods, it gave her access to all of those notes and the reports on Gail's abduction and the murder of Detective Barber.

She just wasn't sure if Gail knew she knew.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm not just an experiment," Holly started as she entered the district where she lived. "But if I am, you're acing it!"

Gail grinned then gave Holly a smug nod of her head in agreement.

"And how many dates did you go on before you gave up and asked me out?" Holly asked refereeing to Gail's call asking her if she was free for the evening and to save her from yet another date her mother had set her up with.

"The batting cages was not a date." Gail insisted.

Holly shrugged. It was sort of, they spent the whole night flirting with each other, and there had been food and drinks after the cages. "You keep telling yourself that."

"This coming from the woman who brought an actual date to my bar!" Gail hit back.

"Your bar?"

"That was practically cheating, Hol!"

Holly had felt like she was cheating on Gail the whole time she was there, she'd felt even worse as she saw Gail and Chris slink off shortly after she'd spoken to Gail at the bar that night.

Gail watched the frown appear on Holly's face, then reached over and dropped her hand to Holly's thigh. "Holly, that was a joke."

Holly shrugged as she turned onto her street and then into her driveway. "It kinda felt like cheating."

Gail got out and followed the older woman inside. "Yeah well, I have cheated, and trust me, you've nothing to feel guilty over." She told her as they both slumped down onto the couch and Holly reached for the remote to turn on the tv and flip it over to the sports desk for an update on the previous days results.

Gail kicked off her shoes and pulled her legs up before shifting closer to Holly, her arm going behind Holly to rest along the back of the couch. The other woman smiled at her and placed her free hand on Gail's knee.

"You know, the reason I kissed you at 15 was because I spent that whole night kicking myself for letting you just slip away without even trying to tell you how I felt."

Holly grinned. "And how did you feel?" She fished.

Gail smiled bashfully back at her girlfriend. Strangely they hadn't really took the time to discuss that night after Holly's confession that the other woman had meant nothing and Gail had taken a chance and kissed her. The events that followed just swept them along and kept Gail from straying too far from Holly as they fell into a relationship with relative ease.

Knowing she wasn't going to get an answer from the blonde Holly closed the distance between them and they spent a few moments kissing. "Like I said, I'm pretty sure this isn't an experiment."

Gail shook her head from side to side. "Nope. Never was very good at science anyway." She saw Holly's eyes light up after that. Not wanting to hear whatever comment she was going to make Gail leaned in for another kiss.

Holly chuckled as she eased out of Gail's attempt at deepening the kiss, but she did pull the blonde into her lap to make up for it as she herself wanted more physical contact with her girlfriend.

Gail settled her legs on either side of Holly's thighs and shifted to press her body close as her hands worked their way into Holly's dark hair.

Holly let her hands drift lightly over Gail's hips and lower back.

"Chris told us what Nick said."

Gail was already nodding before Holly had finished. She'd known Chris and Chloe would have talked, she just couldn't stay there and watch how everyone reacted.

"But you knew that happened already." Gail said softly but Holly eyed her with raised eyebrows so she explained how she knew that without ever discussing her kidnapping with the other woman. "Your name was on the prosecution list." She shrugged.

"I didn't think you knew that."

"I just knew the names, it wasn't until a while after we'd met that I made the connection." Gail replied.

"Oh."

"I was still with Nick after it happened, it wasn't the same again, no matter how much I tried but I'm not with you because of what happened to me." Gail tried to reassure Holly not wanting the other woman to question that she was some kind of safe option after being raped by a man that planned on killing her.

Holly responded by giving Gail a serious nod in understanding.

"Okay." She told Gail, willing to trust the blonde to know herself enough to be able to say that.

"And you're not a rebound." Gail added with a snort.

Holly grinned. "No, I think your mom set you up with enough of those."

Gail narrowed her eyes at her now giggling girlfriend.

"So, if you're not an experiment, or a rebound, and we're ruling out my traumatic history…then I guess we must be in an actually relationship." Gail said with the start of a grin on her lips.

Holly pulled Gail closer and sighed happily. "Sounds serious."

"Might be."

Gail grinned as she felt Holly's hands start to trace over the skin of her back having pulled her top free from her jeans. She leaned down and sucked on Holly's bottom lip before moaning into a deep kiss.

"Nick's still on my shit list though." Gail said pulling away from Holly just long enough to pull the other woman's top over her head.

"Oh, yeah, mine too."

xxxxxxxx

**AN/ **So that's pretty much the main thing that's changed, the Perik case was after the shooting in holding which Gail was placed on desk duty for before they used her for the call girl as she fit the profile for the girls missing. I have an issue believing Perik would stalk Gail up to the flat, subdue her, deal with Andy's arrival, and then take Gail to his basement where he kept her for most of a day drugged up and strapped down without raping her. It's not very central to this story but it will be mentioned in passing again but never in detail.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6**

Holly slipped her earing into her left earlobe and snapped on the wingback before taking a step away from the mirror to study herself for anything that didn't quite work.

But her Valentino emerald green floor length gown was hanging sensually off every curve. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, catching the glint from her diamond stud that matched the teardrop diamond necklace adorning her neck, that rested elegantly just above her breasts which were slightly exposed from the neckline of her dress.

Holly smiled, it had been a long time since she had last got so dressed up and she could feel butterflies in her gut as she thought about her date tonight with Gail.

"Are you ready yet?"

Holly chuckled at Gail calling through her bedroom door impatiently.

"This girl-girl getting dressed thing…not liking it." Gail continued.

Shaking her head Holly slipped on her heels and went back to the mirror one last time.

"I'll do, I guess." She muttered before slipping her glasses on and going to her bedroom door and opening it.

"Finally!" Gail said throwing her hands up as she spun around from walking the hallway, only to stop at the sight of her girlfriend.

"Wow." The blonde whispered as Holly came into full view.

Pleased with the wide-eyed look she was receiving, Holly gave a little spin. "What do you think?"

Gail lifted her eyes from raking over Holly's body and opened her mouth to reply but could only stutter.

Holly grinned and stepped closer, working her hips with each step and enjoying the reaction as Gail once again eyed her body.

"You look, well…stunning, you look stunning." Gail muttered quietly, her mouth going dry.

Holly smirked, pausing just in front of Gail, who was wearing an equally beautiful black and gold Alexander McQueen dress falling just below the knee. "You look gorgeous."

Grinning like an idiot, Gail leaned in for a kiss but Holly backed away.

"Nuh uh." Holly replied but seeing the touch of hurt in her girlfriend's eye she tilted her head until their forehead were touching and ran her hand up and down the blonde's side over the smooth, silk like texture of the dress. "Lipstick." She whispered to explain her previous reaction.

Rolling her eyes Gail pulled away. "Oh, come on!" She complained then gestured her hand up the length of Holly's body. "You can't seriously be telling me I get to look at you dressed like _that_ all night and I can't even kiss you!"

Holly took a few paces back towards her bedroom and gave a shrug of her shoulder. "Well, I guess we could just not go out?"

"Yes!" Gail replied quickly. Staying in sounded like a fantastic idea. She could kiss her girlfriend without worrying about messing up her makeup and of course, the main tipping point towards staying home, there was a bed nearby. Not that a bed was a necessity.

She grinned and stepped towards Holly again.

"But, then I guess you don't get to find out what I had planned for you tonight." Holly continued, pausing her movements.

Gail rocked her head side to side. "Another night maybe?" She offered as a hopeful compromise. Right now, the last thing on Gail's mind was some surprise, she kinda wanted to spend the evening unwrapping Holly from the dress covering her body. Possibly with her teeth.

"Hmm." Holly said letting Gail approach, let her rest her hands on her hips and touch their heads together again. She let Gail lean in for a kiss, only to teasingly pull back and rub her nose against Gail's as her hand wandered up to grasp the back of the blonde's neck. "But then…"

"Hm?" Gail closed her eyes just waiting for Holly to lean the rest of the way in.

"Then all this effort would be for nothing, and Gail?"

"Yeah?"

Holly smirked and pinched Gail in the side, earning a yelp from the blonde.

"I didn't spend over an hour getting ready just to stay home." And with that Holly headed past the blonde and slipped into her coat and grabbed for her clutch.

Gail pouted, her eyes drawn to Holly, she came close to whining at her when her body was covered by a long dark coat. She rolled her eyes when the older woman stood expectantly at the door waiting for Gail to accept defeat and join Holly as she made her way out to her car.

Pulling on her own coat, Gail huffed as she joined Holly at the door.

"You're so mean."

"It's not my fault you need such a firm hand."

"Spanking?" Gail asked as she climbed into the passenger side of Holly's Z4. "Is that a thing with you, Holly? Do we need to discuss this?"

Holly shook her head and pulled her car out of the driveway and onto the road.

"No really," Gail continued, seeing just the hint of a blush on Holly's cheeks. "Hey, I'm game for trying new things, Hol, I just never had you pegged as someone who liked to…inflict pain, sexually."

Holly ignored her.

"Tell you what, I'm sure we can trade, I'll play naughty school girl and you can put on that sexy white coat of yours and we can play doctor!"

Holly giggled not sure whether or not to take anything Gail had just said seriously.

Gail smiled and glanced around as Holly drove them into the city.

"So, where are you taking me?"

Holly shot Gail a look before concentrating on the road.

"Because, I know you have a love of dancing but, honey, that ain't happening in this dress." Gail continued.

"You're very talkative tonight." Holly added as she pulled up at a stop sign.

Gail shrugged, she wasn't sure why she was so nervous, but tonight seemed to be a big deal to Holly, and with the fancy clothes, she just didn't want to screw up. "I guess I can be quiet, but it's going to be a very strange date when you're left talking to yourself."

Holly snorted. "I don't think you'd be capable of being quiet all night Gail."

Gail's eyes narrowed. "Is that a challenge?"

"No, just an observation on your character."

"Was that an insult?"

Holly giggled and turned onto another road. "You're proving my point."

Huffing, Gail turned her head to look out the window. "Fine, whatever, ignoring you now."

Holly hummed to herself, wondering how long that would last.

"_Where_ are we going?"

Something in Gail's tone had Holly glancing her way. "To dinner, I already told you, the reservation's for 7.30pm."

Gail felt sick, her knee bouncing nervously as her eyes flitted around the street they were on.

"_Where_, Hol?"

"Gail?" Holly reached over to lay a comforting hand on the blonde's leg but it didn't seem to calm the growing distress she was seeing in Gail's face.

Gail closed her eyes as she realised exactly what street she was on. "Pull over." She whispered as her breathing escalated.

"Gail, sweetheart?"

"Pull the god damn car over!"

Holly quickly indicated and pulled up at the sidewalk, but before she could turn to ask Gail what was wrong the blonde was up and out of the car like a shot.

A car horn blasted at Gail for almost stepping out into the traffic but Gail barely noticed as she made her way to the back of Holly's car and leaned over, putting her head down to try and catch her breath.

_This isn't happening!_ She thought to herself as she felt tears sting at her eyes. A hand touch her arm and her whole body jerked back away from the contact.

"Woah, hey!" Holly said softly as she crouched awkwardly down in front of Gail. "It's just me Gail. It's okay."

"I can't…" Her hands were shaking and she was sure she was going to throw up. "I can't go in there."

"Where?" Holly asked shifting closer but taking care not to touch Gail, she could see the signs of a panic attack and didn't want to do anything to make things worse for the blonde.

Keeping her eyes closed Gail struggled to concentrate on just her breathing, letting the chill of the evening air into her lungs. It took a few minutes and she had to clench her hands into fists to stop them visibly shaking, but Gail managed to look up into Holly's concerned gaze finally.

"Where are we going Holly?" She asked knowing if Holly said what she thought she would it was unlikely that Gail would be able to get back in the car.

Frowning with worry Holly brought her hands up and gently cradled Gail's face, ignoring the tear stains as she gently pressed her lips to her girlfriends. She could feel the chill in them and as she eased back she shifted the last few inches and let their body's touch as much as they could in the position they were in.

"We can turn around and go back home, Gail." But the blonde was shaking her head. "I booked us into the Harbour Restaurant."

Gail let out the breath she'd been holding as more tears escaped down her cheeks. But her hands were still shaking and she wasn't sure she could stand back up never mind get back into the car.

"Talk to me Gail." Holly asked softly.

"Why are we on_ this_ street?" Gail asked looking at Holly.

Holly shrugged not understanding. "It's the quickest way to the Harbour."

Gail started shaking her head again. "I can't, I just… I can't."

"Okay?"

A chuckle escaped past Gail's lips as she took in the confusion on Holly's face. "Help me up."

Holly stood from her crouched stance and offered the blonde her arm, helping her to her feet.

Gail gripped Holly's hand needing the contact right now. "There's a hotel on this street I can't go into." She explained.

Holly looked over Gail's shoulder and further down the street looking for anything that would clue her into why Gail was so freaked out. Then she saw it and swore to herself.

The Archer.

"Damn." She muttered to herself stepping into Gail's space and pulling her into a hug, holding her as tightly as she could. "I'm sorry."

Gail accepted the hug, but shook her head as her girlfriend apologised. "Not your fault, I just, I don't think I can go back in there." She explained. It wasn't where she was kidnapped from but the restaurant had such a connection to what had happened to her that Gail wasn't sure she'd ever be able to step foot in the place again, even if it was work related.

"Okay so listen," Holly said wanting to get them out of the area as quickly as possible. "What we are going to do is get back in the car, and I'm going to turn us around and take the next turn. What I need you to do for me is keep your eyes closed and maybe tell me a story about something, I don't know. We can play 20 questions." She offered.

Taking a steadying breath, Gail wiped at her eyes carefully, not wanting to smudge her mascara all over her face. "Okay."

Holly helped Gail then leaned in and kissed the blonde, not pulling back until she felt Gail grin against her lips.

"Turns out my lipstick does look good on you." Holly said with a wink at Gail which earned her a small chuckle. That was good. "Come on." Holly then put her hand to the small of Gail's back and guided her carefully back into the car.

When Holly got into the driver's seat she noticed Gail had her eyes closed. "Okay, so I'll go first, favourite book?"

Gail bit her bottom lip not really wanting to answer, but she knew Holly wasn't going to let her get away without something. Maybe she should lie?

"Gail, that's one of the easiest questions I could think of." Holly said, carefully heading into the opposite side of the traffic and taking the first turn away from the street they were on.

Sighing, Gail replied, "Romeo and Juliet." She admitted, she kept her eyes shut not wanting to see what look that answer had caused on Holly's face.

"Really?"

Gail shrugged, feeling the car make another turn. She was starting to blame Nick bringing up her rape earlier for how strong her reaction was just now. She'd driven on that street before without it ever being like that.

"You know, young love overcoming a multitude of issues to try and be together only to screw it up anyway?" Gail explained. "My kinda story, plus you know, death always works."

"Okay."

"What about you? No, don't tell me, grey's anatomy!" Gail said with a chuckle. "The book not the show."

Holly rolled her eyes. "I gathered."

"So, what was it then?"

Holly grinned, wondering what Gail would make of her answer. "The Secret Garden was a firm favourite growing up, I got it for Christmas one year and spent the whole day reading it whenever I could sneak away." She snuck a glance at Gail. "You know you kinda remind me of-"

Gail scowled, familiar with the book herself. "Finish that sentence and I don't care if you're driving, I'm going to kick you."

Holly chuckled and let it go. "Worst Christmas gift seeing as I mentioned it."

Gail snorted opening her eyes and turning to Holly. "Handcuffs."

"No way!" Holly replied laughing.

"Yup!" Gail confirmed with a nod of her head. "My mom wanted me to practise before going to the academy so I wouldn't make her look stupid. And okay, it was a birthday present, but still… worst present ever!"

Holly shook her head as she pulled up to a valet.

Gail got out and looked at the building, the Harbour Hotel was definitely a place for those with more money than sense. Of course it explained why they were dressed so well. She took another deep, calming breath and stepped over to Holly who was speaking to a member of staff and handing her keys over to them.

Holly smiled as Gail reached her and took her hand. The blonde looked nervous but not as bad as before. "You okay? We can still go if you want to?"

Gail shook her head back and forth. "I'll be fine, but I need to make a stop in the restroom first." She wanted to check her makeup wasn't a complete mess after her meltdown.

"You look great, but no problem."

They walked into the building, the doorman opening the door for them. There was a long reception area and the restaurant was towards the back of the building where it provided views over the waterfront.

Holly paused and allowed the blonde to disappear into the restroom on her own to give her a few minutes to collect herself.

She was wondering if tonight was going to go over well at all and if she should scrap her plans for in favour of ensuring Gail didn't have any lasting effects from the drive over.

In the bathroom Gail was pleased to find she didn't look like a racoon and quickly returned to see her girlfriend frowning to herself.

"Hey." She said, approaching tentatively, wondering if the older woman was having second thoughts about tonight.

Holly turned and offered Gail a brilliant smile and held her hand out in invitation.

"Are you still sure about this?" Holly asked as they started walk to where she could see the maître d' standing at the ready.

"Mm hm." Gail said, "But I just hope you realise that dinner at a fancy restaurant doesn't constitute a surprise."

Holly grinned. "It doesn't?"

"Not a bit."

xxxxxxx

**AN**/ Can't believe I dragged this chapter this far and didn't even get to the point!

Ah well, next time eh?


	7. Chapter 7

**AN/ **Apologies to both littlesolo and annabanana6 for the lateness

**Part 7**

Gail placed the napkin into her lap and glanced around, suddenly concerned that her parents could be having dinner here after the fiasco of yesterdays at Steve's. But no, the mayor was there with his wife and some guest but it looked like the restaurant was free of white shirt law enforcers.

"Everything okay?" Asks Holly after speaking with their waiter.

"Hm?" Gail replied still looking over the room before turning her attention to her girlfriend. "Yes." She said lifting her glass of water to her mouth. "I didn't know you spoke French."

Holly grinned. "I'm sure we still have a lot to learn about each other."

Gail narrowed her eyes at the older woman. "You don't have a wife and three kids tucked away somewhere do you?"

"No." Holly replied after a moment of deliberation.

"Are you wanted for a crime?"

Chuckling Holly shook her head as she placed her own napkin across her lap and smiled as their starters arrived. "Not that I know of."

Gail sighed. "I'll check for you tomorrow." Then she looked down at the elegant plate in front of her containing a duck terrine with foie gras, celeriac and damson. "This looks really good." She said before starting in with her fork.

Holly had chosen the scallops which were accompanied by truffles, sorrel and celeriac. "It does." She then carefully placed a flake of truffle over a scallop and placed it over onto Gail's plate with a grin.

Not to be outdone Gail reciprocated with a slice of her terrine and foie gras.

"We're so getting thrown out." Gail said with a shake of her head. This was not the type of place diners shared their meals.

"You possibly," Holly commented as she tried Gail's choice of starter. She hummed in approval. "Me, however, they like."

Gail's eyebrow lifted at that. It wasn't the first time Holly had casually made reference to having and catering to expensive tastes. She looked around again wondering if Holly had brought previous dates here, wondered if the other women were impressed by it in a way that Gail didn't seem capable of.

The food so far was some of the nicest she'd eaten in a while, and dressing up was always fun, but to Gail, Holly could have taken her to the local all-night café down from 15 and she would have been just as impressed.

Holly watched the skin pucker at Gail's brows and wondered once more if she shouldn't have just driven them back home. "We can go back to playing twenty questions if you'd like?" She offered as the silence stretched.

Snapping her eyes up to Holly, Gail blinked before registering what she had just been asked. "Sure, um, favourite movie then?"

"The Wizard of Oz is a close second, but it has to be 2001: A Space Odyssey."

"Labyrinth."

Holly grinned at that. "Not get on with Steve when you were younger?"

Gail smiled as she shrugged. "Maybe I just wanted someone to come take me away from my life." Now wasn't that just a little too close to the truth. Gail dropped her eyes and concentrated on finishing the last of the food on her plate.

Holly sat her silverware down onto her empty plate and stared at her friend. This was supposed to be a nice date that she hoped they would both remember fondly, but it hadn't had the best starts and she was beginning to wonder how to turn it around.

"So," Gail began as wait staff appeared from nowhere and quietly removed their used dishes just as she placed her own utensils down. "Let's get the awkwardness out of the way while we're alone… have you booked a suit here for tonight?" Gail asked Holly giving her a knowing look.

Blushing, Holly picked up her wine and swirled it around in the glass before sipping at it.

"That's very presumptuous of you, Holly." Gail continued with a grin, not a bit upset at the prospect, she had assumed it would be something like that when she saw Holly sneak a holdall out to her car when she had told Gail to use the upstairs bedroom to get dressed earlier. "My, my, Holly. Just what kind of girl do you take me for?"

The blush deepened and Holly looked slightly abashed at Gail's gentle teasing. The truth was she was still debating the outcome of this evening.

"I did have a plan for an after dinner walk," Holly explained. "The room is there to give us somewhere comfortable to go and change. It'll be cold outside this close to the water."

Gail smiled. "To change?" She teased again. "Is that really the only reason for booking a room?" Her grin widened as she waited on the answer.

Holly licked her lips and took another sip of her wine. Wine she'd ordered because she hadn't considered the possibility of driving them back to her house once they were seated at the table. "It's one option." She admitted.

"And the others?"

"We can still go home after this, if that's what you'd prefer. But yes there is somewhere else other than the room I thought we might stay."

Gail shook her head. "Please don't let my reaction from earlier ruin tonight."

"It hasn't ruined anything Gail, I just want us to do whatever makes you the most comfortable. If that's going home then I'm more than happy to, it won't ruin tonight."

Gail reached over and laid her hand gently over Holly's, smiling when the hand turned over and they curled their fingers together. "How about we decide this together after our walk?" She offered.

Holly lifted Gail's hand to her lips, kissing the back of it before returning it to the table. "We can do that, sure."

A touch bashful at the display but charmed as well, Gail glanced around quickly knowing she was blushing by the heat of her cheeks. "God, you're so embarrassing." She muttered quietly while trying to supress the need to grin in sheer joy, she shook her head. "I can't go anywhere with you!"

Holly laughed feeling better about her plans and knowing she could elicit such a reaction from Gail so easily. She'd never been one to tease her girlfriends, but she was really enjoying how different Gail was from all her previous relationships.

Gail studied the woman in front of her questioning how it was possible to be as enthralled as she was with Holly and still feel as free in their relationship as she did. She always held back, always. It was the only way to not get hurt again and again.

But with Holly…

Gail squeezed the hand still entwined with hers across the table, then looked up into the dark eyes in front of her. "I really…just, love you." She whispered, and smiled as she felt how wonderful it was to release that emotion for Holly.

She'd never said that before. Not without skirting around it, saying it without actually saying it.

But her declaration was interrupted by the arrival of their main courses. Just before the wait staff disappeared again, one refilled Holly's glass from the bottle resting on the table.

"Merci beaucoup." Holly said, watching on as Gail waved him off in favour of sticking to her water.

Then they were alone again.

Gail could still feel Holly's eyes on her and it made her nervous enough to keep her gaze on her food. "This looks-"

Holly shook her head at the blonde as she got up out of her seat. Gail didn't get to say that to her and then brush it off with talk about food.

Gail's eyes shot up as she heard Holly's chair scrape back. She watched Holly stand and then move around their table to stand in front of her.

Grinning like a fool Holly reached for Gail's chin and gently turned her face up before laying a tender kiss to her lips. "I love you too." She said as she pulled back an inch before kissing Gail again not caring about any onlookers.

"Oh." Was Gail's only response as they were frozen like that for a moment before Holly smirked and returned to her seat again.

"Oh." Holly repeated with a quirk of her eyebrow as she adjusted her napkin and picked up her wine glass, holding it out towards Gail until the blonde lifted her own glass and they clinked them together gently. "To us."

Gail smiled, she liked the sound of that. "To us." She agreed, their glasses touching once more.

xxxxxx

"Gail, can you just…" Holly tried to get out but was cut off by the blonde's lips. Her back hit a wall and Gail pressed her body into her and it was all Holly could do to keep pace with the kiss and try and prevent Gail's wandering hands from straying too far from a safe zone on her body while they were in full view of anyone using the hallway.

Gasping for breath she forced herself to turn away from Gail and shift towards their room and attempt one more time to get them into the room before they put on a show for the rest of the hotel guests.

She heard a moan of disappointment from the blonde as she shifted and turned, but Gail attached herself to her back, her hands taking advantage of their newfound freedom to travel well known paths over Holly's body as Holly jammed the key card into the door and pulled on the handle as quickly as she could.

Gail chuckled as she watched Holly practically fall into the room.

"So eager." She said with a smirk, stepping into the room and closing it behind her as Holly stepped further into the room.

Holly glanced around the room with a touch of regret, it hadn't really been in her plan to spend the night here and so she hadn't been too concerned with the type of room she'd booked.

"That looks familiar." Gail said walking over to the bed and fingering the holdall that had somehow magically appeared in the room. She eyed Holly for an explanation.

Holly shrugged. "We would need a change of clothes for that walk I had planned." She finished, gesturing to the bag.

Gail hummed and lifted the bag up and off of the bed, moving it to a nearby chair. Then she turned and placed her hands on her hips as she took in Holly standing there. There was half a room between them but she liked that, it added to the anticipation.

Who would make a move first, who was going to control their lovemaking, were they even going to make it to the bed?

It was the kind of problems that Gail loved to puzzle out with Holly. Sometimes one of them would lead, sometimes it was give and take, and sometimes it was a frantic coming together that cost favoured items of clothing.

Gail smiled and took a step towards Holly.

Holly stood there letting Gail come to her, ready for her this time. She took a step back to steady herself as she caught Gail in her arms and they kissed, tongues duelling for control as she was turned around and pushed backwards towards the bed.

The back of her knees touched just as she felt her dress hang limply on her arms. She chuckled into the kiss but Gail's lips were insistent.

Gail pushed the dress down and then her hands went to Holly's bra, unclipping it as she forced Holly backwards onto the bed.

Holly took a breath and moved herself further onto the bed as she watched Gail remove her own dress without fanfare and climbed up after her, inching her way up her body on her hands and knees.

It was sexy as hell and Holly welcomed the blonde back into her arms as she dipped her head to capture her lips again. With a groan she reached for Gail's bra as a hand massaged her bare breast.

Gail released Holly's lips and started trailing kisses down the body beneath her, nipping and licking as she went, pausing to suck Holly's nipple into her mouth as she felt hands thread through her hair.

She lapped at the nipple with the flat of her tongue before moving lower, her eyes lifting to meet Holly's dark brown gaze.

"Watch the pulling this time." She said with a wink causing Holly to laugh and tug on a strand of her hair as she continued moving south to where Holly needed her.

xxxxxx

Gail tucked the sheet around her naked body and watched Holly rummage around in the holdall that had somehow made it up to the room from the trunk of Holly's car while they had dinner.

"Ah, found it." Holly exclaimed before bouncing her way back onto the bed and under the covers with Gail. "Here." She said and offered the blonde the box she had just retrieved from her bag.

"What is it?" Gail asked looking at the rectangular box. "And can you do the little jump onto the bed again? I blinked." She said grinning as Holly covered up her naked body once more.

Holly rolled her eyes as she watched her girlfriend turn the box over in her hands.

"No to the second and to the first, open it and you'll find out." She told Gail with a grin as she shifted to face the blonde and watch her reaction, pushing her glasses back into place.

"I didn't forget an anniversary or something did I?"

"Did you?"

Gail shook her head at Holly. "So this is my surprise?"

Holly bit her lip wondering how the blonde would react, worried that even though they had been dating for weeks, maybe this would be a step too far for Gail. Maybe Gail was happy the way things were, maybe this would just mess everything up?

Holly's hand twitched, but it was too late to take the box back.

Swallowing nervously Gail looked at Holly again before slowly lifting off the lid. Inside, resting on a layer of velvet was a small diamond glinting at the edge of a five-pointed silver star. Attached to the star was a chain that joined a hoop of metal to a key.

Holly had given her a key.

A key she was familiar with, the key for Holly's house.

"Wow." She whispered, looking up from the key to stare back at Holly in question, not wanting to get the implication of Holly giving this to her wrong. She could practically see the panic in the older woman's eyes.

It faded as Holly watched a smile grow on Gail's face.

Holly couldn't control her grin as a sense of excitement filled her but she tried to explain with an air of nonchalance. "You're there so much anyway, you might as well just move in?"

Gail was stunned into silence, her eyes going wide. This was huge. She dropped her eyes back down to the key, touching it with her finger.

"Are you serious?" She asked in a whisper, keeping her eyes down.

Holly shrugged. "Only if you want to." She whispered, watching a pale finger trace over the star reverently. "You can say no Gail, it won't change things between us I promise."

"I want to." Gail answered softly looking up at Holly.

"Yeah?"

"Yes!"

Holly grinned then tapped her lips and Gail closed the distance to seal the decision with a kiss.

Gail grinned and pressed forward for another kiss and then another and another until Holly was laughing hard. She was happy she realised as she watched Holly recover. Happier than she could ever remember being, and she wasn't afraid to start thinking about a future with this beautiful, amazing woman that had somehow just walked through all her defences and straight into her heart.

"I love you, and your surprise." Gail said holding up the key and letting the star dangle down.

Holly's eyes lit up and she patted Gail on the hip before getting out of the bed again. "Come on, get dressed, we can go for that walk."

"What?! No!" Gail protested, stunned that Holly was already over by the holdall again and pulling out jeans and tops along with sweaters and boots.

"Come on, it'll be fun, honest."

Gail scowled, looking at the time on the bedside clock before watching as Holly dressed.

Holly turned expectantly and her face fell a little on seeing Gail right where she'd left her. "Come on Gail, you'll love it I swear."

"Come on nothing Hol, it's half two in the morning, I wanna stay warm and naked in this nice comfy bed." She said, "How about you come back to bed and we pretend we went for a walk?" She asked hopefully.

"No."

"But?"

"No."

xxxxxxxx

Gail wrapped her arms around her body as she tried to keep warm and keep up with her girlfriend. "The boys would never pull this shit, they don't even wake me early on Christmas day." She moaned as she glared around the boardwalk. Strangely they were the only two people out. Imagine that.

Holly rolled her eyes and pulled on Gail's elbow a little more. "That's because they value their lives Gail, they aren't being nice to you, its call self-preservation."

Gail scowled but wasn't prepared to admit that Holly was most likely right.

"God, your grumpy tonight." Holly said but with a grin to take any sting out of the comment.

"Ha, I'm always grumpy, and you knew that from the moment we met." Gail replied with a scoff. "Plus, it's the middle of the freaking night Holly!"

Holly shook her head. "I never knew you were such a delicate flower Gail. Maybe I should have left you in the hotel room."

With a sigh Gail looked around again. She was being difficult and she knew it. "Sorry." She muttered, pouting at her girlfriend in the hopes of being forgiven.

Holly leaned over and kissed the lips. "That's okay." And it was, Holly had known Gail would complain and she was enjoying her girlfriend's theatrics. "I'm sure you'll find a way to make it up to me." She added with a grin.

Gail let out a heavy sigh. "I suppose I could give you back your key?" She offered giving Holly her best attempt at a pathetic look.

"Nope, sorry, you'll have to come up with something better than that." Holly said steering them towards a walkway down towards the harbour docks. "My bed gets lonely when you're not there."

Gail melted a little at that, and pulled Holly closer. "Sounds like I've got my work cut out for me then."

"I have faith in you." Holly replied then gripped Gail's hand and pulled her along the dock. "Come on, we're here."

Gail let herself be lead but when Holly finally stopped she was left astounded by the view in front of her.

"Well? Climb on." Holly said, already onto the deck of the boat.

Boat didn't really do the vessel in front of Gail justice, it was a power yacht and had to be forty feet at least.

"Gail?" Holly said, trying to break the blonde out of the trance she was in.

"Huh?" Gail asked, her eyes still taking in the boat. "Should you be on there?"

"Okay, relax, it's my fathers." Holly explained tugged the blonde reluctantly onto the deck with her. "My parents come out here for a month every year and spend most of their time out on this. When they aren't in the hotel or bothering me about my lack of visits."

"Uh huh."

Shaking her head Holly gave Gail a nudge towards the front of the yacht. "Go on up there and I'll be there in a minute."

Gail walked a step before spinning back around. "We aren't going anywhere right?" She asked her voice higher than normal, "It just it's dark and late, and did I mention late?"

Chuckling Holly shook her head. "No we aren't going anywhere but back to the hotel room when we're done here, now just go up there Gail."

Gail watched the older woman disappear and slowly did as she was told. She figured this was where Holly had planned the night to end before they'd gotten carried away. She walked with careful steps not wanting to get too close to the side, the boat may have been docked but there was a gentle rocking motion from the water.

Holly opened the hatch and climbed down into the galley, a touch of disappointment filled her as she spotted the ice platter of oysters and the chilled bottle of champagne and glasses she had asked the hotel for. The oysters hadn't been shucked so maybe they'd have them for breakfast, or take them back to their room.

Dismissing the thought for the moment she walked through into the main berth and got the thick blanket she'd come down for then headed back, but not before picking up the bucket with the champagne and the glasses.

They could celebrate a little while they were here.

Holly found Gail looking over the railing at the very front of the yacht when she reached the bow. "Careful." She called out as she set the bucket and glasses down before sitting with her back to the slop of the area that housed the main salon below deck.

She pulled the blanket around her and bent her knees, patting the surface between them in invitation.

Gail made her way over and sat down, smiling as Holly wrapped her up in a warm cocoon of her own body and the dark blue blanket.

Holly grinned as Gail snuggled and wriggled against her. "Warm now?"

"Yup."

"Hm." Holly let them huddle there together in the silence for several long moments. Then she pressed her lips to Gail's temple as the blonde rested her head against Holly's shoulder.

"This is nice." Gail said quietly. The gentle rocking was soothing and lulling her into such a relaxed state she knew she'd be quite happy just to fall asleep right there in Holly's arms.

"It is." Holly agreed softly. Her own eyes were closed as she enjoyed just holding Gail.

"Okay, so, the plan was to bring you out here after dinner and we'd take this to-"

Gail giggled and cut in with, "If you say the Falls, I'm going to wet myself."

Holly sighed, but grinned. "No. I was going to take you out to the middle, where we wouldn't be able to see much of land." She explained then nudged Gail. "Open your eyes but just look up, straight up."

Gail blinked as she did as instructed. "Wow." She could still see the low orange glow from the harbour boardwalk, but mostly, all she could see was stars.

Bright, twinkling, stars.

"It's beautiful."

Pleased, Holly squeezed Gail around her waist where she was holding her. "You have the key?"

"Yeah." Gail replied, shifting and searching through her pockets before pulling the box out for Holly from underneath the blanket.

Holly pulled the lid off and took out the key, letting the little chain hang and show off the star on the end. "What was it you said that night?" She asked remembering back to the night of the shooting and the horrible time spent waiting at the hospital for news on Sam and Chloe. She'd taken Gail back to her house that night, after her colleagues had been declared stable. They'd eaten something then gone to bed, Holly automatically guiding Gail into her bedroom with her. And they'd both undressed and climbed in and soon they were holding each other, and for a time, Gail had cried.

But after that, Gail had found it impossible to sleep so they had spent the night quietly touching, comforting each other that they were there, that they were whole and that they were both safe.

Gail blushed as she remembered, she'd stolen the line from what Chris had said to her in the squad car that day. "Only when it's darkest can you see just how brightly the stars shine." She murdered it she was sure, but she'd hoped Holly had understood what she'd been trying to say.

"Yeah," Holly said finding Gail's hand and placing the key, star and all, into the centre of her palm, closing over her fingers and then covering Gail's hand with both of her own. "So this is me telling you, that when the dark comes again, know that I'll always be there for you."

Gail had to swallow past the lump of emotion that lodged in her throat at Holly's words. Her job was dangerous, and as much as she prayed to never have to go through a day like that again, knowing Holly not only understood that is was her job to be at the centre of it, but that Holly would be there to get her through it like she did before.

"That's an awful lot to promise Holly." Gail said as tears stung her eyes.

Holly grinned and tilted her head back to take in the view of the night sky as she felt Gail turn to look at her. She shrugged before looking back at the blonde confidently.

"Like I said, I'm sure you'll make it up to me."

Gail laughed and fell onto Holly, hugging her as hard as she could. When she pulled back there were tears rolling down her cheeks and Holly was quick to help her wipe them away.

"So, how do you like your surprise now?"

Gail wiped her face dry. "I don't know what I ever did to deserve you but, damn, I'm never topping this. I absolutely love my surprise Holly, I love it and I love you." She said kissing Holly.

Holly deepened the kiss before they had to break apart to breathe. "Maybe I'm just being selfish Gail, I love being with you and I don't want to only see you when you have time off work." Holly explained as Gail cuddled back into her arms.

"Hm." Gail grinned and shook her head with a chuckle. "I can't believe you just called yourself my star!" She teased.

"Actually, I think I meant I'll be your 'guiding light'." Holly replied as she reached for the champagne.

"Oh, you are _so_ never living this down."

"I thought it was romantic."

"And you call me insane."

xxxxxxxx

**AN/ **So sex scenes aren't my thing. This is as far as it gets in this fic.

Trustissueb, this is what you wanted, the next chapter is where I had planned to start this fic. But a little family drama and build up never hurts :D


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 8**

Holly pulled into the 15 Division car lot and switched off her engine to turn to Gail. "Are you sure you're going to be okay today?"

Gail lifted her head off the headrest where she'd been lightly dosing while Holly drove them from the hotel to drop her off. She was in the same clothes she'd worn out to the boat that morning. They'd stayed there on deck until the sky had started to brighten. The both of them just curled up together under the blanket in a ball of joy that still caused a smile to appear on her face even though she'd had almost no sleep at all.

"I'll be fine." She said leaning over to kiss Holly. "I'll survive on coffee and being mean to everyone I see." She answered with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Holly chuckled and pulled Gail back for another kiss. "They won't know the difference."

Gail laughed because it was true.

"I'll see you tonight?" Holly asked as Gail opened her door.

"You gave me a key, asked me to move in," Gail said getting out before ducking her head back down to look at her girlfriend. "Yes, you'll see me tonight Holly. You're kinda stuck with me now."

Holly grinned happily.

"I'm going to get Chris to help me pack some of my stuff up and bring it over if that's okay?" Gail asked.

"You know it is, there's even some beer left at the house, you can bribe him with that." Holly offered.

Gail closed the passenger door and went around to the driver's side and knelt down to rest her arms across the open window.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Holly asked again, smoothing some of the blonde hair back away from Gail's face gently.

"I'll be fine." Gail said quietly, enjoying this last little moment with Holly before her day started. She sighed and leant up for another kiss before stepping away from the car. "I'll see you tonight, you know, unless I get stuck with body detail." She added with a grin.

Holly rolled her eyes and started her car back up. "My last girlfriend just brought me flowers."

Gail scowled at her.

"Just saying." Holly added with a grin and slowly drove her car away.

Gail sighed and shook her head, starting for the entrance. She hoped there was coffee ready and waiting by the time she got to the break room because she was going to need it.

And she still had her fingers crossed that her spare uniform was in fact in her locker and not hanging up at the apartment where she thought it was, because if it wasn't here her day was going to get a whole lot worse.

xxxxxx

"Okay, so for all you guys patrolling," Frank said from the front as he eyed the officers and detectives in the room. "Peck and Martinez are working with undercover officers in Leaside this week so stay out of the area as much as you can, otherwise assignments are on the board."

And with that officers stood and huddled around to find their assignment for the day.

Gail waited to make her way forward. Her uniform had been in her locker, not only that, it was clean and pressed. She'd even had some spare time before roll call. She grinned wondering what Holly would think of her little gift later.

Frank paused in sorting his notes as he noticed McNally spot something on the board and make a beeline for Oliver. He watched her lean over and whisper something to him, observed Oliver's face go from his usual happy and laid back demeanour to stone cold seriousness.

It made him pay closer attention.

The room was thinning out as officers went to pick up car keys, kit bags and any paperwork they needed for their shift.

Gail hid a yawn as she stepped up to the board and her eyes scanned for her name.

15-04 Peck/Collins

She grinned excitedly, she could take out all her sleep deprived annoyance and temper out on Nick and not feel a shred of guilt about it after the way he had acted yesterday.

_Sweet! _She thought turning to look for the idiot.

Andy shuffled along behind Oliver as they crossed the room, her eyes on Nick who was now stood in front of Gail.

"Change of plans," Oliver said, smile plastered on his face as he brought his hand down onto Nick's shoulder and squeezed. "Collins' riding with me today, Gail. We need some bonding time, man to man." He said.

Nick shrugged at her, trying not to wince at the grip on his shoulder, and turned as Shaw pushed him towards the door.

"What? No!" Gail cried as she watched the pair leave. She then looked at Andy with narrowed eyes.

Andy backed away quickly. "Heh, nooo," She said feeling nervous about the way Gail was eyeing her. "We've had our bonding time Gail. Last week." She said and left the room quickly.

Gail huffed and turned her head to eye the board as she heard Dov and Chris chuckling at her. Then who was she with?

_Diaz….Wilson…Connors….Riley...Shaw with… _

"Oh, come on!" Gail cried out as she turned back around to find Chloe Price stood there in front of her with that annoying smile and wide-eyed innocent look, eyelashes batty away at her.

"Seriously?" She asked the redhead.

Unruffled by the attitude Chloe just shrugged as Gail continued to scowl at her.

Frank made his way over. "Problem Peck?"

Gail looked at Frank and then back at Chloe. "Sir, no, Sir!" She muttered.

Frank covered up his grin by turning his back to the pair and walking away. "Glad to hear it." He said as he left them to sort it out by themselves.

Sighing Gail looked over Chloe's shoulder to see the amusement on Dov and Chris' faces. "Switch with me Dov?" She asked as if Chloe wasn't even there.

Dov chuckled. "No way, you heard Shaw, it's a bonding day, so I don't know…try bonding!" Then he slapped at Chris and they both laughed and headed out of the room.

Groaning Gail eyed the ceiling. Taking out her lack of sleep on Chloe would be like kicking a puppy only to watch it come back over to her again and again and still sit at her feet wagging its tail.

It was just wrong.

"I need more coffee." She muttered and wandered away from the rookie.

Chloe glanced after her. "I'll get the car keys then?"

"Do what you want Chloe, I'm getting coffee."

xxxxxxxx

The shift hadn't been going too badly, three traffic violations so far, those always put a smile on Gail's face and helped the division's numbers.

There'd also been a call-out to a domestic disturbance. Father and son had been arguing about the son's lack of housework and contribution to the bills. The guy had reeked of alcohol and Gail had been about two seconds away from arresting him just for the smell, but the son decided to take off to stay with his mom instead.

Good decision on the son's part but bad for Gail, she'd really wanted to arrest the father.

They had been back on patrol for close to an hour when Gail felt her phone buzz in her vest. She grinned guessing it was from Holly but as she was driving she'd have to wait until they stopped before she could find out how her little gift went over.

Snorting to herself Gail pulled up at the first coffee shop she could find then turned to Chloe. "I take mine black with two sugar." She said handing over a twenty and shooing the rookie out of the car. The redhead scowled but took the money and left Gail in peace.

Chuckling Gail quickly reached for her phone to check the message.

It was from Holly.

_No._

"That's it?!" Gail muttered, shaking the cell in frustration as if that would magically make Holly send her a better answer.

Sighing Gail wondered if she should respond but chances were Holly had given her that one word answer on purpose. To annoy her. And it was working.

The blonde checked the time and then looked to see if there was any sign of Chloe returning but there wasn't. Flicking through previous calls on her phone Gail selected a number and placed a call, willing it to pick up quickly.

"Hey, you deliver right?"

xxxxxxx

Chris grinned as he sat down beside Gail in the break room, opening his sandwich and taking a bite.

"Yesterday was so cool!" He told her.

Gail shrugged, her head still bent down staring at her phone.

"I mean, not Nick, because well…but the karting! Dov and I are going back for a re-match next day off." He continued, "And Holly can cook! It was so great of her to invite us all out, and for paying, I mean we all coulda chipped in. Hey, is she coming tonight?"

Gail frowned when Chris fell silent, she could feel his eyes on her. She looked at him blankly having no idea what he'd been saying to her. "What?"

"Penny. Tonight. You and Holly."

"Oh, sure." She answered distractedly as the buzzing of the phone in her hand caught her attention. She grinned and stood quickly, heading for the parade room for somewhere quiet.

"Cool!" Chris called after her before going back to his lunch as Chloe and Dov sat down around him. He wondered where they had been, they'd been right behind him as he left the canteen.

Pleased to find the room empty Gail quickly closed the door behind her and sat down before looking at her phone.

She had 1 text message.

From Holly.

Gail opened it eager to find out how her latest idea had gone over with her girlfriend.

She laughed as she read it. It was an improvement this time. Two words instead of one, but then the message was pretty much the exact same.

_Not even._

Again, Gail wasn't upset by the reply, in fact she was enjoying the game. She'd find something that would work eventually but there was no harm in trying a few little things until the right thing came to her.

Plus, she thinks Holly's enjoying this as well.

She sent back a message she hoped expressed her disappointment and plan to try harder in the future. And also that she trusted Holly still ate the food.

Her phone buzzed again.

_No comment._

"Yeah, that's what I thought Nerd."

Shaking her head Gail got up and left the room, securing her phone away for the time being while she headed back to the break room. Another coffee wouldn't go amiss before she had to pry Chloe away from Dov and head back out on patrol for the rest of their shift.

"Peck!"

Gail turned and saw Frank up by his office door and he didn't look very happy.

"My office, now." He told her and she changed direction climbing up the steps and walking into his office as he waited there, holding the door open for her.

She tried her best to school her expression as she sat and waited for him to start. He looked angry but she was positive she hadn't done anything out of line recently. And even if he had heard about Chris hitting Nick it was off shift and not really a factor as long as it stayed out of work.

Frank cleared his throat and shifted his chair again, looking at the email on his computer once more before clicking it closed and focusing on his officer. "This is about your application for the skills training post with ETF,"

Gail only just managed not to react. Applications still had another two weeks to be sent to Frank so for him to be pulling her in here to talk to her about hers couldn't be good.

"We just don't think this is the right time for you,"

_We._ That word stuck in Gail's head like it was on repeat. The application process was for Frank to put forward the best 5 candidates who'd then go for testing and interview with the guys running the ETF unit.

_We._

All Frank had to do if he didn't think she was right for the post was simply not to put her forward for interview.

Gail didn't get-

_We._

Gail licked her lips as it clicked. "How is my mother?" She asked, cutting Frank of mid flow as he went on about what a tough year they'd all had. She would have rolled her eyes if she wasn't seething with anger right now.

"She's…ah…" Frank looked away from the blonde, not able to meet her accusing gaze.

Gail stood, there was really no need to have to put them both through more of this when nothing either of them could say was going to make a blind bit of difference. "We done then, Sir?"

Frank sighed trying to find the words but Gail was already half way out of his office.

"Next time Gail!" He called to her but she just kept walking.

Damn he really hated his job sometimes.


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 9**

It was the end of shift finally and Gail felt like getting changed and going straight to the Penny and not leaving until closing.

Sitting on the bench in the locker room Gail watched as officers changed, showered, dressed and left as quickly as they could. She didn't blame them really, if you stuck around too long you'd likely be asked to cover for someone else, or help out for 'a bit'.

She'd taken off her shirt, holding it bunched in her lap as she stared at her locker.

As Chloe scuttled quickly by she felt a little bad for Dov's girlfriend. She'd had to put up with Gail for the last few hours where Gail had reverted back to her snappish, angry, sarcastic old self.

The atmosphere in the patrol car had been tense to say the least but Gail had been too busy kicking herself to care how it made Chloe feel.

And besides, she didn't really care if Chloe thought she was a bitch, she thought Chloe was a bit of a snake. Who gets married and then, _forgets_. Seriously?

The blonde stood and shoved the shirt into the gym bag she kept in her locker. Then she set about changing. When she was done and ready to go, the locker room was empty and she glanced around and wondered about Frank, and her mom, and the possibility of spending longer in uniform than the other rookies she'd joined 15 with.

Maybe not Chris, maybe not even Dov, but Traci was slowly making her stripes and Andy was always eager to be part of any operation going, so it was likely she'd be applying for the next open post.

But would Gail be allowed to?

Resting her head against the cool metal of her locker Gail recalls exactly what she'd said to her mother at Steve's. Would she really be happy spending her career in uniform?

She groaned and knocked her head against the metal in frustration.

A big part of her knew the real police work, the protecting and serving, was done by the uni's. And people like Oliver and Noelle were at the heart of policing in Toronto. Was Gail saying she was too good for that?

She wasn't, she knew everyone saw her as a white shirt in training, even at the academy, so staying in uniform would be seen like failing even if it was far from it.

So what was her mother playing at?

Did she expect Gail to come to her or her father to complain about Frank? Ask them to pull some strings and get her on the training course?

She swallowed and stepped back, clicking the padlock on her locker and shouldering her bag.

It hurt, not being passed up for the ETF training, but that it was her mother doing it.

Gail wasn't stupid, this was a test. But Gail decided as she walked through the station that she was done playing her mother's games. She was tired of the hoops and the standards and the expectations and the orders to jump.

"Hey, you off?"

Gail paused awkwardly as Frank rounded the corner in front of her. "Yup." She replied quietly.

Frank sighed and looked around before stepping closer to Gail. "I am sorry, about before."

Gail just shrugged glancing away from him.

He was her boss after all, but her mother was his so she knew he had little to no choice in the matter. Her mother did like to prove who was in control.

"It's just," He continued, "The division's budget is up-"

"Wow!" Gail cut in, her hands raised as she stepped past him. "Okay, I'm going to go now, so...yeah." She muttered and left him standing there. She didn't need his confessions or his sympathy or his explanations. And she really didn't need to hear what following Elaine Peck's orders was going to get 15 in equipment or personnel.

She squared her shoulders and walked out of the station.

"Hey, about time!" Chris called to her with a smile from the side of his jeep.

Gail found a smile from somewhere and tossed her bag into the back seat before sliding into the passenger's side beside him.

"So Dov and Chloe have gone for food, but they said they'd see us at the Penny in an hour or so." He said as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the streets.

Gail grunted then drew her hands slowly down her face, wishing she could erase the day and go back to being on the boat with Holly's arms wrapped around her.

"Tough shift?" Chris asked, looking over at her quickly, his face full of concern.

Gail sighed and shifted her knee up to rest against the dash. "Like you wouldn't fucking believe."

"First round's on me then." He offered with a grin.

Gail turned her head and studied him as he drove. Besides her relationship with Holly, and her friendship with Traci that was brought about by some pretty extreme circumstances, Chris was pretty much her best friend.

Her eyes fell on his knuckles as he gripped the steering wheel.

She realised then that she trusted Chris in a way she trusted almost no one else except Holly. The fact that they'd been together didn't even seem weird, it probably made them closer. She'd let him defend her against Nick yesterday at the karting track. She would have bitched at Steve for doing that. But not Chris.

"Actually about tonight, can I ask for a big favour?"

Chris gave her a funny look and it made her smile. She never asked politely, she bulldozed until she got her own way. She grinned widely back at him and rolled her eyes at herself. She really was going soft.

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

"Possibly." She laughed back at him.

Yeah.

She'd be proud to spend the rest of her career shoulder to shoulder with Chris Diaz, even Dov. There was still a question mark over Chloe but that was fine. She'd have plenty of time to sort that one out by the sounds of things with Frank.

She was done with her mother's games.

And fuck the politics.

xxxxxxxx

"This the last of it?" Chris asked, placing another box down to join the rest taking up Holly's living room floor.

Gail grinned at the sight as she joined Chris, handing him a beer which he quickly opened and drank from. She'd had most of her belongings at Peck HQ because she had the smallest room at the apartment. Luckily no one had been home, so they'd gotten all of her things packed and loaded into her own crappy little car and Chris' jeep without having to be cross-examined about it.

"Yeah." She replied crashing down onto a seat as he fell onto the sofa with a tired sigh. She had left him to do most of the work. She eyed the boxes and her travel luggage that was close to bursting. It really wasn't much for her 26 years, mostly clothes and shoes, some books, a box of dvds and only a handful of photos.

She let her eyes wander around Holly's living space, wondering how her things would fit in, if they would fit in.

"You scared?" Chris asked, watching her closely.

Gail shook her head. "No." Moving in with Holly wasn't scary at all, it felt like she'd been living here for a while, only it was official now. They _lived_ together. How did she ever get this lucky?

"It feels right." She answered with a grin.

Chris smiled back at her, then reached over and patted her leg. "That's great then. Maybe we should have like, a house warming for you?"

His eyebrow lifted in question but she shook her head quickly. "No thanks." She didn't want to make a fuss of this and certainly not throw a party because of it.

He tilted his now empty bottle at her.

"There's more in the fridge." She told him then declined his offer of one as she already had a bottle of water in her hand. She checked her phone while he headed for the kitchen. Holly had been forced to stay at the lab until she'd finished a report due for court in the morning, but there was no new text.

It made her sigh. Really, all she wanted right now was Holly.

"Well I think you're missing out. Remember Andy and all the cool gifts she got?" He said coming back and settling down again.

Gail snorted. "Yeah, I'll pass thanks." Andy seemed to move house every year. "Besides, I'm not moving into a new place, I'm moving in with Holly. No party required." She said, although she was planning for a very quiet, intimate party for two a little later this evening if Holly wasn't too tired when she got home.

But Chris didn't need to hear about that.

"Well okay." He said, accepting defeat on the subject just as his cell phone chirped.

Gail toed a box with her foot wondering if she should attempt to store some of her crap away before Holly got home or if she should wait and see where the other woman wanted her to put it.

She grinned to herself and decided to leave it for now.

When the option was either work or be lazy, she'd chose lazy every single time.

"That was Dov wondering where I've disappeared to." Chris said standing to leave now that all of Gail's belongs were now unloaded. "You sure you don't want to join us?" He asked as she got up and headed for the kitchen.

"No. Thanks for the invite, but I'm gonna just hang here and wait for Hol to get home." She said coming back with a six pack of beer in her hands which she promptly thrust towards Chris.

"For your help." She explained.

Chris grinned, happily accepting the alcohol. "No problem."

Gail followed him to the door to see him off but just as she was reaching to open it Holly walked in.

"Hey!" Holly greeted Gail, surprised to come face to face with the blonde so suddenly.

"Hi yourself." Gail replied stealing a quick press of Holly's lips with her own before edging back to let Chris past.

Holly shifted with Gail. "Hi Chris, so she roped you into helping then?" She said noticing the beer in his hand as she slipped her arm around Gail's waist, her thumb tucking into the material of her top to stroke skin.

"Yeah." Chris replied. "Congratulations by the way."

Holly grinned then eyed Gail. She felt lucky having Gail in her life. Just the thought of this moment, coming home to the blonde, it had made finding a fourteen year old on her table today just that little bit easier to let go of.

"Thanks." She said, leaning heavily against Gail.

Gail tried to make eye contact with her girlfriend, a touch concerned by the subtle strain she could hear in the older woman's voice but Holly stayed focused on Chris.

"Well I better get out of your way and catch up with Dov before he and Chloe ditch the Penny for tonight." Chris said as he made his way out of the house. He started walking to his car before turning back to the pair. "Hey, just 'cause you're all coupled up doesn't mean you stop coming around, yeah?" He aimed at Gail.

Gail rolled her eyes at her friend as Holly wrapped herself around her from behind. "And when Dov moves the Princess in don't be shy hiding out here if you need to, you know where we are too."

Chris beamed at the offer, not because he was worried about Chloe spending more time around the apartment but that Gail was willing to give him an open invitation to come here if he wanted to.

He'd been starting to worry as he helped her move that they'd stop spending time together outside of work. He was pleased to be wrong.

Gail seemed to know exactly what Chris was alluding to as she leaned back into Holly she called to him, "We'll work something out Chris, yeah?" She wasn't going to lose her friendship with Chris just because they stopped living together.

Chris nodded, more than happy with that for now. He waved to them then got in his car to go and let Dov know they were now a roommate short.

Gail turned her attention straight to Holly the second Chris was gone.

She turned in Holly's arms as the door closed and held the brunette's face gently. "What's wrong?" She asked, her eyes searching the dark brown for any sign of an answer.

Holly closed her eyes and just breathed in Gail's concern, enjoyed the warmth of the body pressing into hers and luxuriated in the knowledge that she never had to worry about Gail leaving her alone at the end of the night again.

She sighed and rested her head on Gail's shoulder, hugging her close, tightening her hold as Gail hugged her back.

"Holly?"

"Shh." Holly whispered, shaking her head slightly into Gail's neck. "Just…for a minute. Please."

Gail cradled Holly to her, biting her lip to keep her mouth shut as her mind raced with questions and worry over what could be wrong.

Eventually Holly eased back just enough to look at Gail. They were still stood in the hallway by the door but neither of them seemed to mind.

"Thanks." She said before pressing her lips to Gail's, and when she moved to deepen the kiss Gail matched her step for step. The blonde's hands were gripping and pulling at the back of her jacket and it spurred Holly on.

Gail grunted as she found herself pushed back against the wall as Holly's tongue mapped out her mouth. She moaned as Holly sucked on her bottom lip before thrusting her tongue back into her mouth as hands clenched at her sides.

"Sorry." Holly muttered, forcing herself to pull back before she got too carried away.

Gail smiled, her hand buried in Holly's dark hair. "Don't apologise for needing me, however you need me. You get to lean on me when you need to just like I know you're there for me."

Holly sighed heavily, feeling the weight of today press on her.

"Talk to me." Gail tried not to sound too demanding but she really needed Holly to let her know what was going on here.

It was days like today that had Holly questioning the good in people. So much of her job was helping to provide police officers and detectives with the information and evidence they need to find the people responsible for the bodies that ended up on her table.

But not always.

"Fourteen year old suicide." Holly explained in an anguished tone. It was the part of her job that she truly hated, because when the body was on her table it was too late to portion blame.

Gail sucked in a breath as her eyes softened with worry for Holly. They didn't get many suicide cases at 15 but Toronto like everywhere else in the world had people who for whatever reason struggled with their daily lives.

Holly's job was to establish a cause of death, but with a suicide Holly had no way of providing the why.

"I'm sorry." Gail said.

Holly just shrugged. It was a tough day but she was just glad that it was over.

"Come on, let's get you changed and into something more comfortable. Maybe a bath? Food?" Gail offered as she tugged on Holly's hand and headed for the bedroom.

Holly caught sight of the living room and stopped, pulling Gail back. "What is that?" She asked with a point and a grin.

Gail tried not to wince. She glanced at all her stuff then dismissed it and tried to get Holly into the bedroom again.

"That? Nothing, it'll be gone before you know it."

Still grinning, Holly let Gail drag her away from the scene. "How? Is Chris coming back?"

Gail fake scowled as Holly chuckled. "Just for that, it's staying like that until my next day off." She told her girlfriend, adding a flash of her tongue for good measure.

"Tease."

Gail laughed as they entered the bedroom and her hands automatically started to undress Holly.

They were quiet as Holly took off her work clothes and Gail helped to replace them with a pair of yoga pants and a loose tee. Gail was proud of herself for refraining from too many extra touches to Holly's bare skin.

"Want me to run a bath?" Gail offered, eager to help Holly in any way she could.

Sighing, grateful to finally be able to relax after a long day, Holly gathered Gail into her arms and spent a few moments kissing her properly. "What I want is to snuggle with you for the rest of the night in front of the tv." She said, her arms resting over Gail's shoulders. "If we can still see the tv from the couch in there."

Gail blushed a little. "We might need to move some stuff."

"We?"

They chuckled and Holly stole another kiss before they walked hand in hand to the living room. Gail did in fact move several boxes and then joined Holly on the couch. Holly flicked through a few channels before settling on a rerun of Friends. After today the last thing she want to deal with was anything too dramatic, sad or violent.

Gail shifted, pulling Holly down to lay with her as they both stretched out. "You hungry? Want some wine or anything?"

Holly shook her head, happy where she was. Her hand snaked under Gail's top to wander almost lazily from the blonde's hip to the underside of her breasts.

"Thank you for today." Holly said after a bit.

"Hm?" Gail had to open her eyes and concentrate hard to not get too carried away with the reactions her body was having to Holly's touch.

"The flowers, and lunch. Not to mention the text messages." Those had been timed when she'd really needed them. One especially, that came just after the boy's mother had come to identify the body.

Gail tried not to look too pleased with herself.

"Not that they measure up to 'guiding light' status, but it's a start." Holly continued earning a giggle from the blonde.

"I'm starting small, give me time." Gail insisted.

Holly smiled to herself and laid her head on Gail's shoulder as a hand moved to massage her scalp softly. It felt so good to just be with Gail like this.

"How was your day?" She asked, not wanting tonight to be all about her.

"My day?" Gail repeated as her conversation with Frank flitted through her thoughts. But how did that stack up against moving in with Holly?

"Nick has a nice bruise, I had to work with Chloe all day," She aimed a pout at Holly for that trauma. "And Andy actually ran away from me this morning." She added with a wide grin.

Yeah, her mother's games didn't rate mentioning.

"Doesn't get much better than that, right?"

Holly chuckled and pushed herself up to eye Gail. "Oh, I don't know about that. The night's still young."

They laughed and then inched closer together, Holly's hand drifting lower this time, sliding into the blonde's jeans for a moment before coming back to pop the button and then return further inside.

Smiling, they eyed each other as Gail moaned when Holly stroked her fingers through her heat. Then they kissed and Gail was pulling at Holly's top, wanting it off, as her legs drifted apart to give Holly's hand more room.

And then the tv, and the days problems, became nothing but background noise.


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 10**

Gail startled awake, her head lifting and searching as she came into consciousness very quickly.

She spotted Holly laying naked beside her, in fact Gail was holding her as they both lay on their sides. The sheet had fallen down by their waists and by the low level of light flooding the room from the window Gail assumed it was still the middle of the night.

She blinked as her heart rate started to slow and she shifted away from Holly gently, after pressing a kiss to bare skin, as she wondered why she woke up so suddenly. She took a deep breath and rubbed at her face as she spotted the time, it was just after 3 am.

Maybe she had a nightmare?

Sighing she shifted onto her back and eyed the ceiling, placing her hand onto her bare chest above her heart. She hadn't had a nightmare in weeks. She frowned, it didn't feel like a nightmare either.

And then she stiffened as her eyes shot to the bedroom door.

There was a noise.

Coming from inside the house.

Sucking in a breath Gail got up as quietly as she could, her eyes trained on the door as she pulled on her clothes from their places across the floor. Another noise had her quickening her pace as she shifted around the bed, picking up Holly's cell phone as she knelt beside her girlfriend.

"Holly." She muttered, shaking Holly by the shoulder. "Holly!" She hissed urgently.

Holly moaned and blinked her eyes open sleepily only to find her mouth being covered.

"Shhh!" Gail warned as Holly met her eye. She waited for the older woman to give her a nod before withdrawing her hand. "Quiet." She told her, pressing the cell phone into Holly's hand. "Get dressed, quickly."

Holly shuffled out of the bed, watching as Gail turned and opened the lower drawer of her wardrobe and pulled out the lockbox.

Her eyes widened as her girlfriend pulled out her gun.

Gail turned, frowning as she spotted Holly standing their naked. She stood, gathering Holly's clothes and pressing them into her arms as she then checked that her gun was loaded.

Holly opened her mouth to ask what the hell was going on when she heard a loud crash coming from somewhere outside their bedroom door.

"Dress Holly." Gail instructed her girlfriend as she moved to the door with the gun in her hand. The blonde pressed her ear to the wood listening. In her head she started remembering all the statistics she had looked into when she'd found where Holly lived.

The Beaches was a very safe district, the serious crimes committed in any given year were some of the lowest in Toronto. Break-ins on Holly's street were no existent, only two in the surrounding block and those had been domestic related.

And none even remotely local that reported with firearms.

Gail took a deep calming breath as all her training kicked in. She consciously left the safety on as she tightened her grip on the weapon.

Holly, now fully clothed, inched over to Gail. "What do we do?"

Gail studied Holly, her eyes were wide and she was nervous but she wasn't overwhelmed with fear or panic. That was a good sign.

"You are going to call it in, say the suspect or suspects are still in the house." Gail replied quickly and quietly. If this had been anywhere else Gail would have told Holly to mention it was a cop house, the response would have come in hard and fast to protect one of their own, but Gail was very wary of the fallout and how her mother could use this.

"Shouldn't we stay here?" Holly asked, her hand reaching out to cling to Gail as the blonde slowly opened the door. "Let them take whatever they want Gail! It's only stuff, please?"

Gail paused, considering.

She was confident enough in her skills that she could handle whatever was outside this room. And she needed to protect Holly, any response would take time, and while it was unlikely whoever was in the house had a gun they could easily have a knife or some other type of weapon. Or take one from the kitchen to use.

Gail wasn't going to risk Holly's safety waiting for help.

Holly watched Gail shake her head and released her hold on Gail's arm.

"I want you to call, but stay in here and lock the door behind me." Gail told her, turning and putting her hand to Holly's cheek, her thumb stroking the skin softly. "Let me take care of this. Don't come out unless I say so, okay? You promise?"

Holly's lip trembled as she nodded. She ducked her head, pressing the numbers she needed and raising the phone to her ear. She lifted her head and caught Gail's stare. "I need to report a beak in, someone is in my house…" Holly closed her eyes as Gail pressed her lips to her forehead and slipped out of the room.

Holly locked the door with shaking fingers as the operator replied to her. Holly gave the women her address, pressing her head against the white door as her heart threatened to explode.

"Yes, yes, in the house, there was a crash." She told the operator.

Holly jumped as Gail's voice sounded loudly, shouting, Holly couldn't make out the words. But it made Holly's world just stop. She couldn't hear the women in her ear, she couldn't hear Gail only the beat of her own heart pounding in her ears.

"Holly!"

That was Gail's voice.

Holly struggled to open the door but she managed as the voice in her ear came back to her. She frowned. "No, my partner went to investigate." Holly moved into the hallway, flinching as the lights blinded her before her eyes adjusted properly. "She's a cop." She explained as the voice reproached her for Gail's actions.

And then she was in the living room. Gail in front of her, the gun being held behind her back out of sight of anyone else in the room.

Holly's eyes then found the person laying on her floor in a mess of Gail's belongings.

"What the fuck Elizabeth?!" Holly shouted at her younger sister.

Gail sighed as Holly's younger double just grinned at her sister. "Here." Gail said taking the cell phone from Holly and disappearing to call off any police response and to secure her gun back in the bedroom. She wasn't sure the younger girl had even seen it, and she was grateful she'd been cautious enough to leave the safety on as she switched the light on while calling to the person inside the living room to get down.

"Yeah, just a false alarm." Gail said into the phone. She listened while she stored her gun away, taking the time to pull out the clip and remove the bullet in the chamber. "Thank you, you're right, better safe than sorry, bye."

"Are you DRUNK!"

Gail chuckled at the incredulous tone coming from her girlfriend. But the idea that the girl was drunk eased Gail's worry over how the younger woman would react to having a gun aimed at her. That would give anyone nightmares. Gail had been quick to pull her gun out of sight as she recognised the girl from the pictures in the room, if Elizabeth was lucky she'd have nothing but a hangover to remember from scaring them to crap tonight.

Happy that the gun was stowed away safely Gail stood and took a moment to try and release the adrenalin rush that had taken over as she stepped out of this room and into potential danger only moments ago.

She found Holly shaking her head and her sister still sprawled out on the floor.

Elizabeth spotted the blonde first and gave her a wave. "Hey! You must be the girlfriend!" She then rolled her head in Holly's direction. "Nice going sis, she's cute!"

Gail chuckled and moved to Holly. "You okay?" She asked quietly, rubbing Holly's back soothingly, seeing the slight trembling of her girlfriend's hands.

Holly closed her eyes momentarily as she tried to calm down. They weren't being burgled, it was just her idiot sister scaring them half to death. But as she considered the situation she realised if Gail hadn't woke them up and she'd found Elizabeth passed out on the couch in the morning she wouldn't have given it a second thought.

"Why didn't you call?" She asked the younger girl as she struggled to sit upright on the floor.

Elizabeth shrugged, then gave the pair a wicked grin. "Did I interrupt something?"

Holly blushed as Gail sniggered beside her.

"Have you any idea of the time Eliza?"

Shrugging Elizabeth tried to get to her feet, after slipping she found a hand reaching out for her, accepting the help she let herself be pulled up onto her feet. "Hey you're strong." She said before realising how close she was to a set of electric blue eyes.

Gail frowned then eased out of the grip the girl had on her hand. "You're welcome." She muttered quietly before retreating back to Holly's side.

Holly hides a grin with her hand as she rubbed at her nose, spotting the dazed look in her sisters gaze as she still eyed Gail.

"Eliza!"

"What?" Eliza snapped her attention to Holly. "Yeah?" She asked in a slightly confused tone.

Holly sighed. "Bedroom. Upstairs. We can talk in the morning."

Elizabeth grinned at her big sister feeling that she wasn't in trouble any more. "Sound's good." Then she tried walking but tripped over her own bag just to round the night off properly.

This time both Holly and Gail caught her before she could fall.

"Nice save." Elizabeth said as she was righted once more. "That woulda hurt."

"Okay, let's go." Holly said keeping a firm grip on her sister to help her to the spare bedroom.

Gail watched for a second. "Want an extra pair of hands?" She offered, wondering if Holly could manage taking the clearly inebriated girl all the way up to the spare room on her own.

Holly laughed and kept moving her sister along the hallway to the stairs. "Oh no, you get yourself back into our room and stay there."

Slightly confused Gail shrugged and after switching off the living room light, and assuring herself that the front door was locked, retreated back to their bedroom.

Eager to get back into bed and catch what little sleep she could before morning, Gail stripped her clothes off once more and climbed back under the covers, shifting onto Holly's side of the bed to ensure her girlfriend would have to move her before joining her again.

Gail wasn't sure how long it took for a hand to rest on her arm, pressure being added to get her shifting back. With a groan she reluctantly moved and then she was pulling an equally naked Holly into her arms.

"Sorry about that, she got all emotional when I was tucking her in. Bad breakup apparently." Holly explained quietly as they shifted together to get into their usual sleeping positions.

Gail took a deep breath then blew it out onto the back of Holly's neck, grinning to herself as her girlfriend flinched. "You know something Holly?" She muttered into the quiet of their room.

"Hm?"

"I'm not the only person you've given a key to your home to."

"Huh?"

"I'm just saying, right now? I'm not feeling so special anymore."

Holly grinned and snuggled back into Gail's body. "Oh, you are." She said fighting the need to laugh. "And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so."

Gail blinked "What?" Where did that even come from? She lifted herself up to eye Holly.

Holly shook her head with a chuckle. "Just go to sleep."

After a kiss to Holly's cheek Gail put her head back down.

"Whatever Nerd, you're just lucky I love you."

Holly smiled and sighed before responding with a quiet, "I know. Love you too."

Gail closed her eyes and started to drift. One of the best parts of her day was moments like this, falling asleep with Holly and waking up with her. It was so intimate and peaceful. It was the safest and most loved she felt throughout her day, at least until she was with Holly again.

Living with Holly now was going to rock.

Gail's body jerked as she pulled herself back from falling asleep. "Hol?" She asked wide eyed.

"Hm?" Came the sleepy reply.

"You locked the bedroom door, right?"

"Go to sleep Gail." Came the laughter filled reply.

Gail scowled, debating getting up to check. Early morning nakedness was not to be messed with, she didn't care if Elizabeth was Holly's sister.

Holly felt Gail start to shift and tightened her hold on the arms wrapped around her. "It's locked."

Gail relaxed again.

"But you'll have to try and be quiet in the morning if you don't want to get teased." Holly warned.

Gail snorted. "Me?" She gently bit down on a nearby shoulder. "Care to rephrase that?"

Holly smiled and sighed happily, shifting onto her back as Gail hovered above, eyebrow arched. "We'll both just have to be quiet then."

Gail shifted closer and pressed her lips to Holly's, taking the kiss slow, testing just how tired Holly claimed to be. She would have smiled but Holly's tongue seeking entrance into her mouth and a hand cupping then squeezing her breast made her focus on the really important things in life.

"We should practise then." She said pulling away slightly just as Holly rolled them over. "On this, being quiet thing."

Holly shifted to rest between Gail's legs, pressing her hips down and rocking against the blonde to earn an approving groan of pleasure from Gail.

"Fuck!" Gail hissed as Holly started trailing kisses over her breasts, as hands squeezed and stroked and touched.

"Remember Gail, quiet."

Gail bit her lip as a tongue swirled into her belly button before drifting lower. She whimpered and gripped a handful of Holly's hair as she felt the older woman blow a warm breath over her centre.

"Fuck!"

They were so going to get teased in the morning.


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 11**

Holly felt Gail's hand slide through her hair as she came down from her high. She pressed one last kiss to the inner thigh she was nestled against before crawling up over the blonde to smile down at her girlfriend.

Gail blinked lazily up at Holly, her hands trailing up the brunette's body, past her hips, along her sides to bury into dark tresses, pulling the cocky looking pathologist down for a heated kiss.

"You, are not leaving this room. Ever." Gail muttered as the kiss ended.

Holly chuckled and laid down on top of the blonde.

"I'm serious." Gail continued, closing her eyes again as she pulled Holly into her arms and held her close.

"I'm sure you are, but alas I have bills to pay and dead bodies to cut up."

Gail grunted, pinching Holly for bringing dead bodies into the conversation. "Way to kill the mood. You're right, can't wait to be rid of you."

Holly grinned to herself as she felt Gail press a kiss to the top of her head. The blonde was like that, inflict a small measure of pain to get her point across then follow it up a fraction of a second later with a show of part affection, part contrition.

Holly had her suspicions that Gail grew up with her brother in a mixture of teasing affection masked with bouts of sibling violence that probably took place right under the noses of their parents. Just from some of the ways she'd witnessed Gail with her friends as well as Steve himself.

It was weird and something she didn't really understand, but every time Holly got a taste of it, it always made her smile.

She sighed heavily across the skin of Gail's bare chest. "I'd like to though. Just stay here with you." She explained. "I'm sorry about Elizabeth just turning up like that last night."

Gail shrugged playing with Holly's hair as she stared up at the ceiling. "I don't mind, she's your sister, its cool."

"I know, and I'm thankful, but I was just really looking forward to having you all to myself for a while." Holly added.

That made Gail happy and she turned to study Holly in silence for a bit. She'd been looking forward to the same thing, but she could wait. She'd waited this long for Holly to come into her life what was a few more days?

Gail leaned forward and pressed their lips together, her hand reaching up to hold Holly in place as she slowly deepened the kiss. The blonde went with Holly as the older woman rolled onto her back. Gail felt hands begin to caress her body but she supressed the need to moan because it was her turn now that she'd recovered.

A loud bang on the door startled them, making Gail pull away from Holly to turn her head with a frown as she eyed the unseen disturbance to their inner sanctum.

"Hey, come on guys, before round what…four, starts up, how about breakfast?" Came the voice from behind the door. "I cooked, and given all the noise coming from in there you should eat. The life you save may be your own." Then there was a giggle that faded as Elizabeth walked away.

Gail snorted shifting to lay beside her girlfriend as Holly dropped her head back down onto the pillow with a groan of disappointment at loosing Gail from her arms.

"Save a life? Yeah she's going to need someone to save hers in a minute." The blonde muttered.

Holly grinned but closed her eyes, content to remain where she was for the time being.

"And why the hell is she even up?" Gail continued as her hand unconsciously started to stroke Holly's body, making its way back up her skin as she lay beside her. "She should be hiding away in the bedroom upstairs nursing a hangover." She said, her hand cupping a breast.

"I guess she's just lucky." Holly said brokenly as a thumb brushed over her nipple.

"Oh, like you?" Gail asked knowing Holly rarely suffered after a heavy drinking session. She saw the wicked grin Holly was trying to tame that gave the answer away. She removed her hand and made a disgusted noise. "I hate you both."

"No you don't." Holly stated pressing her lips to Gail's quickly before pulling back. "And she's right, we both have to get up anyway, might as well take advantage of her cooking."

Gail sighed unhappily as Holly moved away from her. "Fine."

Holly tried hard to keep her smile small as she turned back to the blonde as they both started getting dressed. "And you have to promise not to shoot her if she makes any jokes about all those weird noises you make."

"That _I_ make?" Gail asked turning incredulous eyes to her smirking girlfriend.

Holly chuckled and went towards the door having clothed herself first. "Well, I'm blaming you when she asks, so yeah, you." And with that she scampered out of the room just as a pillow hit the back of the door.

"Ugh." Gail wasn't ready for this. She didn't do families, her own were trouble enough to deal with without trying to cope with Holly's. Gail didn't do well with being teased, she hated being made fun of, it made her say mean things and the last thing she wanted was to give Elizabeth a bad impression of her or embarrass Holly.

Family meant a lot to Holly.

Maybe she could just hide out in here until she needed to leave for shift?

She could get by without coffee until she got to the station right? And was that bacon she could smell?

xxxxx

"So…good night?" Elizabeth inquired as she sat across from her sister's girlfriend nursing a mug of coffee. Holly had told her to play nice and then promptly disappeared just as said girlfriend shuffled into the kitchen looking more out of place than Elizabeth felt, having spent a good part of the night and morning listening to the pair.

Gail continued eating, not even bothering to look at the younger woman as she kept her eyes on one of Holly's journals that had been left within her reach as she sat down to breakfast. "Hm," She muttered vaguely. "How was yours?"

"Oh, you know, catching up with friends, almost getting shot…it's was okay, I guess. I didn't die at any rate."

"Ah," Gail sat up a little straighter. "Sorry about that." She'd hoped to have gotten away with that one.

Elizabeth shrugged and took another drink of her coffee. "I think I was a bit too out of it last night to have noticed, I only remembered when you walked in here just before."

"Still, sorry."

"You're a cop right?" Elizabeth waited for the blonde to nod. "Then I'm glad it was you and not Holly, I'm pretty sure she woulda just pulled the trigger, even knowing it was me." She said with that little sideways grin that Gail liked so much from Holly.

Gail gave her a nod and went back to eating. She's not sure Holly would have herself, her girlfriend had refused the two offers of a trip to the shooting range so far and Gail doubted that would change anytime soon.

"What?" She asked, feeling eyes on her again.

Elizabeth just shrugged as she smiled into her coffee. She might not feel like eating right now but even her poorly stomach needed the caffeine hit. "It's just…the way you were screaming earlier, I thought you might be hurt." She continued innocently.

"And you want to what, checking for injuries?" Gail asked fighting the need to blush. She should have gone for the shower first instead of following the scent of food into the kitchen.

"You have a doctor for that though right?" Elizabeth continued. "I mean if you were looking for a second opinion I could help…"

Gail snorted and went back to her food just as Holly entered the kitchen, pulling her damp hair up into a ponytail. The blonde picked up her last slice of crispy bacon and got up from her seat glad to be done with the awkwardness.

As she past Holly they both stopped to share a kiss.

"Wasn't too bad was it?" Holly asked softly, her eyes flitting to her sister momentarily just to make sure she was still alive.

"Oh, it was fine, except your sister just offered to give me a full medical." Gail said in her normal voice making sure Elizabeth overheard.

"That wasn't what I meant!" The younger girl squealed.

Gail grinned and walked away leaving the two sisters to it. "Girls always hit on me."

"You _told_ her?!"

Huh?

Gail stopped just outside the kitchen. _Oh!_

Holly's sister was gay?

Gail shook her head in amusement and continued towards the shower room.

xxxxxx

Gail made sure she was dressed to leave before she wandered back into the kitchen.

"Hey." She said only to stop in her tracks as she spotted Holly hold a sobbing Elizabeth in her arms.

Awkward.

The younger girl pulled away from Holly at the sound of Gail's voice. "Just…something in my eye."

Gail huffed quietly at that excuse as the girl took her mug and went over to the coffee machine, keeping her back to the blonde the whole time, even as her hands shot up to wipe at her face.

Contrite Gail eyed Holly wondering if she should back out of the room and leave the pair to talk, or cry, whichever worked.

Holly could tell what the blonde was thinking and shook her head, tilting it afterwards to get Gail walking towards her, which she did with obvious reluctance.

"Everything okay?" Gail whispered as she stepped between a now seated Holly's legs.

Holly pursed her lips as her arms went up and around Gail's shoulders. "Just relationship stuff."

"Oh." Gail bit her lip, eyeing the younger girl. She didn't really have anything uplifting or supportive to offer on that. She also wasn't entirely sure how welcome any advice she might have would be given she didn't really know the girl.

"Hm." Holly pulled Gail down for a kiss, taking advantage of the alone time.

"Oh god, really!" Elizabeth exclaimed having turned back towards them with her refill only to find the pair sucking face. "Seriously, I turn my back for like two minutes!" She said sitting back down and glaring at the pair. "Have you no sympathy? I only just broke off a nine month relationship, it was bad enough listening to you guys going at it all morning!"

Gail laughed and had to pull out of the kiss Holly seemed to want to extent just to rile up her sister.

Holly wiped her lip and turned to glare at Elizabeth who responded with a grin.

"So, how do you two deal with it?" Elizabeth asked, wiping at her face again just to make sure there was no more tears. Her eyes felt puffy and she was sure she looked a mess right now but she was past caring.

Gail frowned, feeling out of the loop. "With what?"

Elizabeth's hand waved in the air. "The hours, never seeing each other. Susan said all I ever did was work and study."

"Oh." Gail was regretting everything right now, from getting up this morning to opening her mouth. Ever. It was the height of stupidity to ask an emotional woman that's just broken up anything that wasn't derogatory towards the ex or didn't involve alcohol.

"Sorry you asked?" Holly whispered to Gail as she slipped her hands into the blonde's pockets to prevent the escape she knew her girlfriend was desperately looking for.

"Oh yeah." Gail replied as she settled against Holly as she realised she wasn't leaving anytime soon.

Elizabeth took a small sip from her mug then looked back at the pair expectantly. "Well?"

"Well what?" Holly asked, "We see each other whenever we can,"

"We text." Gail offered.

"Meet for lunch,"

"Dinner."

"And we spend our time together, even if it's just to be in the same place even if one of us has to sleep. Just being in the same room or house, it's enough." Holly explained.

Gail nodded quickly to agree. She wasn't the only one that sometimes worked the night shift and even if she was the one catching a nap, seeing Holly just before and knowing she would be there when she woke, it was enough, it was more than enough. "And then there's days off."

"Ugh." Elizabeth didn't find this at all helpful. "But you guys practically work together. What if you didn't, what if you couldn't have lunch all the time and were too busy for texting and one of you was never home from the office until late every night?"

Gail's eyes widened at the scenario.

"Susan's right isn't she, that isn't much of a relationship is it?" Elizabeth ask, looking heartbroken and sad as she realised her relationship couldn't even hold up to her sisters of a few weeks.

"How about we not make this about me and your sister's relationship." Gail pleaded, she had enough insecurities of her own to deal with she couldn't add all of Elizabeth's as well. There was only so much she could cope with.

Holly grinned at her girlfriend. "We're doing okay."

"For now." Elizabeth muttered only to have both women glare at her. "What? You guys have to still be in the honeymoon stage, wait till the sex slows down…" She stopped and held her hands up when Gail gave her a hard stare, because seriously, the woman owned a gun.

Holly sighed and rolled her eyes at her sister. She was all for making her feel better but not at the expense of Gail whom she knew worried about how badly her past relationships ended.

"How about this," Gail said, her eyes lighting up a little as she looked between the sisters. "You're what, twenty-three, twenty-four?"

"Twenty-four."

Gail shot Holly a look, judging how quickly she could get out of the woman's hold. "That still gives you six years on your sister to find a partner!" She spat out quickly dodging away just as Holly leapt for her.

Elizabeth laughed as Holly chased Gail around the kitchen before grabbing the squealing blonde and whispering something into her ear that had the blonde pouting.

She was suddenly grateful for her snap decision to come to Toronto for a quick visit. She'd never really seen Holly like this. She watched them quietly as they whispered to each other still holding on to each other. She wondered when the last time she and Susan had looked at each other like that, questioned if they ever had.

She focused on her coffee for the next little bit, not looking up at the pair until they eventually sat down across from her again.

"You know, I won a bet because of you." Elizabeth said as she watched Gail move over to the counter and pull a travel mug over and seat it under the coffee machine.

"Me?" Gail asked shooting the younger Stewart a look over her shoulder.

Elizabeth nodded as she grinned to herself. "Jason and I bet on whether you were real or not or if Holly was making you up to stop mom worrying about her dying alone." She said with a giggle.

"Hey!" Holly was affronted by that. Just because she wasn't married with six kids by the time she was thirty.

Gail, bemused by the bet, returned and sat beside Holly, giving the older woman a consoling pat on her leg. "How much did you win?" She asked Elizabeth, her bets with Steve, when they didn't involve avoiding their mother, often reached several hundred dollars.

"More than enough to cover this little visit." Elizabeth answered smugly.

"Nice." Gail said in approval.

"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "See, I still believe in you."

Holly rolled her eyes, still unsure what to make of her siblings taking bets over her love life as well as the fact Jason thought she would _make up_ having a girlfriend.

Elizabeth could see a touch of hurt in her sister's face that she had trouble masking. "Come on Hol, it's not like you shout about anyone you date, he thought you just wanted mom to stop stressing over it."

Holly shrugged. "He thought I made Gail up?" Her lips twitched as the blonde snorted at that. "Just because I'm not dragging her off to meet mom and dad after 5 minutes doesn't give him the right to joke about my relationships."

Elizabeth realised she'd touched a nerve, tried to smooth a few ruffled feathers. "You know Jase, he was just saying that with you living up here you could say anything was true and mom and dad would be none the wiser unless they came for a visit." Then she winced as she stared at her sister. "Which reminds me…"

"No." Holly said, almost getting up just to stress her point. She really didn't need more of her family turning up unannounced.

A smile broke over Elizabeth's face as she saw the panic starting to spread to Gail as well as her sister at the idea of her parents coming for a visit. "Just kidding!"

Holly groaned completely unamused with her sister's joke.

Gail eyed Holly. "Hey, I'm very real. Seriously, how could anyone make _me_ up?" She said leaning in for a kiss with Holly just to prove her point. "But this very real girlfriend has to get to work, so…"

"Actually, I'm not going in." Holly said, looking at Gail somewhat apologetically. "I'm going to take a personal day and spend some time with Eliza. I can still drive you in though." She said moving to stand.

"You never take personal days to spend with me." Gail complains.

Holly smirks and leans closer. "That's because I can see you whenever I want Elizabeth doesn't even live in Canada."

Gail crosses her arms over her chest, clearly not impressed with that excuse. "Fine whatever." She said narrowing her eyes playfully at Holly's younger sister who was smirking back at her from behind Holly.

"I promise to make it up to you." Holly offers as she leans forward towards Gail.

Gail grins and closes the gap, and as the pair kiss she lifts her hand past Holly and flicks Elizabeth the bird as she makes sick noises at them.

Holly chuckles as she pulls back and throws her sister a look to behave.

"Well, I'll leave you both to it." Gail says picking up her travel mug of coffee. Holly's coffee was so much better than the crap in the staff room.

"Oh no, I'll drive you." Holly repeats standing to join the blonde.

Gail shakes her head. "Wouldn't want to interrupt family time." She says but softens her words with another kiss. "See you tonight."

Holly watches her walk away and Elizabeth makes another sound that has Gail pausing in the doorway to turn back around.

"You know what kid, see while you two are out today, buy yourself some earplugs because your sister owes me and tonight she's going to be the one screaming. Loud." And with that the blonde spun and left.

"Eww." Elizabeth says after the comment sunk in.

Holly swallowed then got up quickly and chased after Gail. She caught the blonde just as she was turning the ignition of her car over. "Hey!" She called out as she came to a stop by the driver's side window.

Gail slowing dropped the glass. "Yeah?" She asked looking nervous.

Grinning Holly leaned on the door. "Why don't you take a personal as well and come back inside, I'm sure Elizabeth can spend the day with her friend from last night."

Gail was stunned for several seconds before the both of them burst into laughter.

Holly fanned her face. "Really? You're going to make me scream tonight? You can't just say that to a girl and walk away." She insisted, sticking her lower lip out in a pout.

Gail groaned and covered her face with both hands as a blushed broke out over her face. As she listened to Holly laughing again she realised it wasn't as bad as she'd thought it was a few seconds after those words had escaped from her mouth.

"I thought you'd be mad at me." She said, looking hesitantly back at her girlfriend.

Holly sighed but she was grinning. She shook her head at the blonde. "No, surprised you'd say something like that in company but not mad." She pressed a quick kiss to Gail's lips and pulled back to gesture back to the house. "So how about it?"

Gail blinked. "You're serious?" Holly nodded at her. "I can't, we're still short staffed right now, I-"

Holly pressed her fingers over Gail's lips to halt her apology. "I get it." She said taking her hand away. "But way to get a girl worked up." She sighed.

Gail gave her a repentant look. "Sorry. I'll make it up to you."

"Yes you will Officer Peck."

They both stared at each other until Gail was pushing her ability to get to 15 on time for parade.

"I really got to go." She said with a sigh. Taking personal days wasn't in her upbringing, especially not for something like this, but right now with Holly's sister in town Gail was very much regretting not taking yesterday off to move in with Holly properly and enjoy what little alone time they would have had.

Holly, looking just as disappointed, leaned over for one last kiss, making it last a little longer as Gail's hand pressed at the back of her head, holding her in place.

"Stay safe out there Gail." She said, giving Gail's face a final caress before stepping away from the car.

"I will."


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 12**

As Gail stowed her bag away into her locker she turned at her name.

"Leo!" She said spotted Traci's son who came over to give her a hug. "Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked, returning the hug and spotting Traci entering the locker room.

"There you are Leo." Traci said looking exhausted and shift hadn't even started yet. "Hey Gail."

"Hey," Gail smiled at her friend as Leo climbed up and sat cross legged on the bench. "What is this, bring your kid to work day? If it is thank god no one told my mother." She said shuddering at the thought of spending a day in her mother's company, especially at HQ.

Traci shook her head as she took a seat beside her son and dropped the two bags she was carrying down onto the floor. She then ran a hand over Leo's hair in an attempt to tame the curls. She smiled at the futility of it as they simply bounced back out in all directions.

"No. There was a flood at his school overnight, they're sending a few grades home. Unlucky for me…" She trailed off with a sigh.

Gail scowled. "Do you need him dropped off with your mom?"

"No, she's out at my Aunt's place today, it would take her hours to get back." Traci explained, then she looked at her friend pleadingly. "Can you watch him while I make a couple of phone calls?"

"Sure." Gail agreed quickly, then signed to Leo if that was okay, and if he wanted a drink. She was impressed when he made an 'o' and then flicked his finger up. "Someone's been practising." She said with a beaming smile as he looked back at her with a shy look.

Traci stood eyeing the pair. "I'm still not sure I should have let you teach him that." She said narrowing her eyes playfully. She could get the gist of the conversation, Gail had lifted her hand to her mouth in a drinking motion and Leo had responded with two signs which she assumed were the letters O and K.

Gail shrugged as Leo stood and her hand dropped onto his shoulder to guide him to the break room. "He could probably teach you if you wanted to learn." She offered only to feel Leo turn and shake his head at her. She bit her lip not to laugh as he pointed at his mom then made a motion like he was tugging at his beard if he had one.

She laughed as he raced out ahead of them.

"Do I even want to know?" Traci asked handing Leo's school bag over to Gail.

"Probably not." Gail replied making a face.

Traci sighed. "Give me five minutes."

"Take your time, we're not going anywhere."

xxxxx

After speaking quickly to Frank about the situation Gail found Leo sat on the couch in the break room. She handed over a juice cup and then asked him about what he was missing at school. He told her he'd been due to hand in his math booklet for marking so she got him to take it out so they could both go over it for the next time he went in.

As they both looked over his answers she pointed to one she thought he should look at again. It took him a little thinking time to realise that the answer was wrong and he quickly rubbed out his previous answer to replace it with the right one.

Gail then pointed out another problem and asked him to check that answer.

She smiled as he struggled for a few minutes to see anything wrong with his answer.

"So?" She asked as it was clear he wasn't finding any answer other than the one he already had written down.

Leo shrugged at her keeping his face turned down. "Don't know."

"Hm." Gail hummed and smiled. "Guess there's nothing wrong with that one then." She told him.

Leo lifted wide eyes to the blonde. "Really?"

"Well, you saw what you missed on the last problem and you fixed it, right?" She asked him and he nodded at her. "Could you see anything wrong when you went over this one?" She pointed to the one he hadn't changed.

"No."

"Then you're good." She finished closing the book.

Leo grinned and kicked his feet, pleased with getting his work right.

A throat clearing had Gail looking up only to spot her brother in the doorway.

"Back in a bit Leo." She said to the boy and got up and went over to Steve stepping out into the hallway. "What are you doing here?" She asked with a frown.

"Nice to see you too, sis." Steve muttered with a shake of his head. "I'm not on today so I'm going to watch Leo for Traci."

Gail snorted before she could stop herself.

"Thanks. I have watched him before you know." He told her.

Gail took a deep breath as her brother squared his shoulders at her. "And what do you plan on doing with him all day?"

Steve shrugged. "He can watch some of my dvds or whatever's on TV. It's not that hard."

Gail thought he was kidding but he looked completely serious. "You're going to sit a seven year old kid in front of the TV for the day? You're kidding me right?"

Steve scowled at his little sister as she stood there with her hands on her hips, clearly unimpressed with his plans for the day. "I'll take him out for lunch, I'm not completely stupid."

Gail bit her bottom lip and gave Steve a glare before gripping him by the arm and dragging him further away from the break room to prevent Leo overhearing either of them.

"Look, seriously Steve, if you're just trying to score points with Traci by helping her out then I can call Holly and ask her to look after Leo today, at least she'll pay attention to him." Gail said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Steve asked crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

Gail leaned closer to Steve and lowered her voice. "You're kinda this kids step-dad so try acting like it and spend the day getting to know him, he's a smart fucking kid Steve, and he doesn't need palmed off of you and sat in front of a fucking TV all day!" She ground out through clenched teeth.

Steve tried hard not to react to the step-dad comment, but the truth was, even although he'd been dating Traci for a few weeks now, he hadn't spent a lot of time with Leo.

He frowned at his sister. "Well what do you suggest I do with him then sis?"

Surprised her brother was willing to take her advice Gail fumbled for something to say.

Steve snorted, then slapped his sister on the shoulder before turning away from the blonde to go collect Leo. "Thanks for the help."

"Wait!"

Steve turned and Gail walked over to him. "Yeah?"

"You weren't there on Sunday-"

"I wasn't invited!"

Gail sighed and tried again. "So, take him back, ask for a rematch or something. He'll love that." She said. "And let him win." She added with a scowl, knowing her brother could get competitive.

Steve rolled his eyes but kept listening.

"Traci always makes him a school lunch so make sure he eats that, afterwards…" She racked her brain for something Leo would like but it was cold outside with snow on the way so it had to be indoors. She shrugged at her brother. "Take him to the movies if there's anything kid friendly playing. Then I don't know go home and make the three of you dinner and just get to know him."

"Hm." Steve stared at Gail until she began to look nervous then he grinned and pinched her cheek. "Maybe you're not just a pretty face after all."

Gail slapped his hand away and scowled after him as he walked away. She wasn't sure why she bothered, it sure wasn't for Steve's benefit.

By the time she got back to the break room Traci was there zipping up Leo's jacket and handing his bag over to Steve.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Traci asked Steve looking concerned and unsure.

Steve gave her a big grin and tapped Leo on the shoulder. "Hey, we are going to have a great day together and then Leo can tell you all about it over dinner tonight at my place."

A happy smile lit up Traci's face at that and she edged closer to Steve. "Well in that case, I look forward to it." And then she kissed Steve on the cheek and ruffled Leo's head of hair. "You be good."

"Yes mom." Leo said with a roll of his eyes. Then he looked over to Gail.

Gail winked at him and repeated the signage he'd made about Traci but she pointed to Steve.

He laughed.

"Bye Leo." She said and headed for parade which she knew she was late for.

"Bye Aunt Gail." She heard aimed back at her and it left a grin on her face even as she received curious looks for arriving late to parade. She ignored them and listened to the last of Best's speech.

Even if she hadn't been watching Leo given what had gone on between her and Frank she was sure she'd earned a pass on turning up late.

xxxxxx

"So you seem…happy?" Chloe said as they returned to the squad after a false report of a break-in, the tenant had locked themselves out and forced a window open to gain access.

Gail ignored the redhead as she was likely to do for the rest of their shift.

Just as she was securing her seat belt her cell buzzed in her pocket, and with Steve watching Leo she decided to take the time to check it out.

_Hey! I got your number – Eliza :P_

Gail snorted and tapped out a message to Holly before storing Elizabeth's number into her contact list.

Her phone buzzed quickly and she grinned before checking it to confirm it was from her girlfriend.

_No I am not 'pimping' you out to my sister_

Gail smiled and waited, knowing Holly well enough that there was likely to be a second message soon.

_But if I was you'd be gold baby!_

Gail snorted and put her cell phone away wondering if the sisters were out somewhere drinking.

"What?" Gail asked Chloe as she pulled away from their last location.

"Nothing." Chloe muttered then radioed in that they were available to take another call.

Not looking to start a conversation Gail was more than happy with the brush off even if Chloe was giving her looks out of the corner of her eye every now and again. She was content just to drive her route and get to the end of shift. It was already mid-afternoon and she'd yet to hear anything from Steve about his day with Leo, she really hoped the pair were having fun and Steve was relaxed with the kid.

"Car 15-31, domestic disturbance at 41 Eastbourne Street at Jarvis. Neighbour dispute."

Gail sighed and turned the car around as Chloe called them responding and flicked on the lights and the siren.

It took Gail less than four minutes to get to the scene and as she pulled up they both scrambled out of the car to separate the two men as it looked like the argument was about to go from verbal to physical.

Gail got in front of the older of the two men who looked to be in his late sixties and snapped out her baton as the younger man raised his arm looking to throw a punch.

"Back off! Now!" She told him, keeping her body between the two. The guy she was staring down seemed to weigh up his options before dropping his arm and taking a few steps back. "Good." Gail eyed him warily keeping her baton at the ready. "Now, mind explaining what's going on here?"

"I want him arrested!" The man told Gail pointing to the older gentleman behind her who looked on dismayed.

Gail eyed the two men then Chloe. "On what grounds, the way I see it I can have you arrested right now." She prodded not wanting to drag this out and looking for cold hard facts before she did anything.

The guy point at the man. "He's like the Ford guy that was in the news, he was all over my six year old daughter." He said.

Gail felt the blood drain from her face and she turned her head to stare at the older man, looking for something in her gut to tell her how serious to take such an accusation. The name Ford and the knowledge of what both those brothers and their father did was enough to make her want to throw up.

Was this older man the same as them?

The man looked back at her, meeting her gaze easily with nothing but confusion in his eyes, but there was a touch of guilt as well and it rolled her stomach.

She eyed Chloe to get her opinion but the redhead looked between both men and shrugged at the blonde.

"I want him arrested!" The guy shouted looking ready to charge through Gail to get to the other guy.

_Shit! _


	13. Chapter 13

**Part 13**

"So, Mr Harris can you please just talk me through the events prior to my arrival outside?" Gail asked the older gentleman as she watched him sit down beside his wife in their living room. Gail had quickly separated the two men outside on the lawn and told the younger man, a Mr Evan Fallows, to return to his own home with Price and give her his statement before anything else could be done.

"Please, call me Richard." The man said with a smile as his wife looked on with a worried expression.

"So?" Gail encouraged as her eyes took in the room. There were plenty of family photos taking up the shelves and sideboards. There was even a few trophies taking pride of place on the mantle.

"Well that's just the thing, I don't really know." Richard explained with a shake of his head.

Gail held back a sigh and eyed the man, sending the wife a smile as she watched the pair talk. "Just start from the beginning, he mentioned his daughter…" She wasn't supposed to lead the conversation but if the guy kept this up she wasn't finishing her shift on time, she'd be stuck here still trying to get the full story.

"Ah, yeah, Tommy was out helping me and she came over." He told her.

"Tommy?"

The wife spoke up this time as she put her hand on her husband's thigh. "Tommy Reed, he lives two doors down." Gail noted the direction the woman pointed. "He's almost finished high school, but he's a good boy, helps Richard with the bringing the shopping in from the car, clearing the drive way. Just little odd jobs around the place."

"I broke my hip you see." Richard picked up the conversation with a nod of agreement to his wife's speech. "Reminds me of Ricky he does, plays receiver too!" He said with a wide grin.

Gail sucked her bottom lip as she noted some of this down. "That Ricky?" She asked, pointing to a picture a Richard looking a few years younger surrounded by three young men all in football shirts looking like they'd just spent time rolling around in the mud.

The wife stood up, Margret. "Oh yes," She said going over to the picture and picking it up. She smiled fondly down at the image before stepping over to show Gail. "That's Ricky, I supposed he does look a bit like Tommy now that I see it, and that's Kyle and Matthew as well." She said pointing out the other faces in the picture.

"Your son's?"

"Yes." Margret said before replacing the photo and returning to sit beside her husband. "I called Matt and he's terribly worried, he said he'd be here as quickly as he could."

Gail paused her note taking, then looked over at the wife, she did look worried herself. Gail looked back at Richard with a smile. "So Tommy?"

"Yes! He must have finished early, well anyway, he was just there as I got out of the car. Offered to take up the groceries for me, like he does, and there she was! Standing across the street!"

"She?" Gail said as he paused.

"Hm, that's right." Richard looked over to the window and pointed. "Over there."

"And then what happened?" Gail asked.

"Well Tommy came back and I slipped him a couple bucks, like I do, and he took off home." He explained. "Then she came over and I said 'hello'."

"And did she say anything to you at this point?" Gail enquired.

"No, no she didn't say a word." He said shaking his head back and forth. "I put my finger on her nose and she laughed." He said smiling himself. "Then I offered her one of my candies," He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a few hard boiled sweets. "She took only one and then she took off." He explained lifting his hand up to offer Gail a candy.

Gail shook her head and declined, and they were returned to the safety of his pocket.

"And then what happened?"

Richard sat back on his couch and palmed his chest. "Well that's the thing. I came back inside and started to help Margret put everything away when there's all this shouting coming from outside." He told Gail. "There she was again with her mom and dad and you saw him, he was shouting all about the place."

"Hm." Margret nodded. "I came out to the door as Richard went down there." She pointed to the end of the driveway. "The woman took the girl away, I think she started crying with all the shouting going on. That man pushed my husband and that's when I called Matt." She then looked to Richard. "And he should be here soon." Then she looked back to Gail. "My husband is recovering from surgery and that man was going to hit him!" She gave Gail a stern look. "You are going to do something about him aren't you, he can't go around here threatening everyone."

"I will be speaking with him as soon as I finish here, don't worry." Gail assured her.

"It was just a candy!" Richard picked up again. "But he was so angry, I apologised but I was just saying hello."

Gail looked back at her notes from the start of this call out. "And do you know the family, the Fallows? Have you had any problems with them before, or anyone in the neighbourhood?"

"No." Richard replied.

"We've lived here near on forty years now and never a bit of trouble, not ever." Margret said. "Never met those people before but they moved into the Murray place at the weekend, I saw the wife with the movers on Saturday, I'm sure it was her."

"Okay, and is that when we arrived, as Mr Fallows pushed you?" Gail asked, remembering she had seen that but wondering if anything else had taken place before her arrival.

"Yes, it was." Richard replied.

Gail took down a few more notes into her book and as she was finishing up the house phone began to ring. She watched Margret rush off to answer it in the kitchen and she could just make out the name Kyle.

She wondered if all three sons were about to turn up at the scene any minute.

"Well I think I have everything for now." She told Richard as he stood to follow her to the door. "I'm going to speak with the other gentleman and then I'll come back and let you know what's going to happen okay?"

Richard shook his head as he stepped out with her. "It was just a candy."

Gail put her hand on his arm. "You just go back inside and let me try and sort this out, okay?" She waited as he shuffled back inside.

With a sigh Gail headed down to her squad car wondering how Chloe was getting on with the hothead. She could connect the dots in her head easy enough, new house, kid disappears and when you do notice her again she has candy a man gave her. Gail could understand the panic and the worry a parent might go through but to charge around and come close to beating an old man up? Your mind telling you what _could_ have happened, what he _might_ have done to your child.

Gail could understand all that. But it was her job to gather the facts and then proceed. And so far the facts weren't showing Mr Fallows in a great light.

Gail keyed her radio to dispatch. "This is 15-31 do we have an address for the call on the disturbance at this 20?" She waited and got the name and address that had been given by the caller. Gail thanked them for the information and requested detectives to the scene.

Gail eyed the houses and spotted the one she was after. She place a bet with herself as she started heading for it, that she was about to meet young Tommy and his parents.

It would at least give her a better picture of the Harris family.

xxxxxx

"This is a bust right?" Chloe asked as she stuck her hands into her thickly lined jacket pockets and joined Gail to rest against the side of their squad car. They were waiting on the arrival of the detectives to hand the case off to. With a young child involved it was prudent to follow protocol and let the final decision on the situation go to more experienced hands.

Gail eyed the car that had pulled into the Harris driveway not ten minutes ago and released a breath into the cold air. "I think the minute we leave those two 'boys' are going to pay Mr Fallows a visit for calling their dad a paedophile, and we'd just end up right back here arresting all of them."

Chloe's eyes widened and she shot Gail a look. "You're serious?"

Gail nodded. The wife had understood even if Richard was a bit slow on the uptake.

"Oh, yeah." Gail replied shifting against the car as she eyed the sky wondering if it was going to snow soon. "He's got three son's all big football stars and there's no way they're going to let this go, not from what the neighbour said. Harris and his kids are like superstars around here, got the trophies to show for it too. He may be getting old now but the families around here all still love him and help out when they can."

"So the new neighbours aren't going to be very welcome around here then?" Chloe asked. From her interview Evan and his wife had calmed down and even admitted that they might have jumped to conclusions. But it was their only child so Mr Fallows wasn't completely apologetic about his actions.

"Depends…" Gail saw a car approach and clocked that it was an unmarked police car. She and Chloe stood and wandered over as it pulled up just past their squad.

Gail recognised the female detectives from lecturing on victim recognition while she'd been at the academy. "Detectives." She greeted the pair as they got out to stand beside them.

"So what are we all the way out here for?" The guy asked. He was heavier than Oliver and Gail wondered if he spent too much time behind his desk. She watched him frown as he spotted her name tag and had to wonder how exactly she was viewed by people that only knew the name.

Gail gave Chloe a nod and listened as the rookie gave the two detectives a run down on the situation and their own impressions of the circumstances surrounding the call-out.

The guy snorted as Chloe finished. "Explains why you're still a uni." He muttered under his breath at Gail, clearly unimpressed by her silence. "Well you two run along and let the Detectives do the real work."

Gail narrowed her eyes at the guy's back as he wandered off up the Harris driveway.

"Sorry about that, I think his third wife just left him." The female detective said in an attempt to explain her partner's comments to Gail.

Gail twitched her eyebrows and dismissed it with a roll of her eyes. She was used to a lot worse being said to her, most of it from her own mother. "Just pay attention to the sons, I'm not sure they'll be too happy if you go hard on the dad."

"Noted." The dark haired detective smiled at Gail and Chloe then wandered off after her partner.

Chloe kept her mouth shut as they got into the squad and Gail drove them back the way they'd came over an hour ago.

"This is 15-31, we're 10-8." Gail called into the car radio.

"Copy that, available for a 10-58 at the corner of Glenmoore and Huntly?"

Gail took her finger off and groaned before pushing down again and accepting the call. "On route."

Chloe watched as a flake of white fluff fell onto the windscreen in front of her. She then watched as it was followed by another and another.

"It's snowing." She said aloud with a grin as she eyed the sky.

Gail scowled at her partner. She could see that for herself thank you. "Yeah, and we're about to spend the rest of our shift directing traffic." She muttered. "We're going to freeze our asses off."

The grin fell and Chloe sat back into her seat. "Oh, yeah. Damn."

Gail almost smiled as she wondered if that was the most intelligent comment she'd heard from Chloe all shift.

xxxxxx

Gail grinned as her cell buzzed as she sat at her desk filling out her day's paperwork. Holly had been sending her text messages throughout her shift and by now Gail was questioning how a thirty year old could be lead astray as easily as Holly seemed to.

_I miss you _

Gail's heart clenched in her chest as she read that. There wasn't many people in Gail's life that would ever say that to her. If she used one hand she'd have fingers to spare.

Gail eyed the wall clock at the other end of the room, she still had close to another hour to go before she could leave. Damn she wanted this shift to be over.

She tapped out a reply and sent it on its way. She had no idea where Holly and Elizabeth were or what condition she'd find the pair in but she couldn't wait to get out there and go find them.

It hadn't been a hard shift she was just anxious to be out of her uniform and out of 15.

Plus she really wanted to see just how drunk Holly was. She'd never really seen the older woman drunk when she wasn't partly responsible for supplying the alcohol and as equally under the influence.

So far, in the space of less than twenty-four hours Elizabeth had got Holly to take time off work and by the text messages, drain a bar dry.

"Officer Peck."

Gail stood from her seat and turned to see the detective from the call earlier approach her station.

"Hi." Gail said as the woman paused in front of her.

"It's Emily Wilson." The woman said holding out her hand for Gail.

Gail shook the hand and nodded, she couldn't remember ever hearing the first name but she had recalled the detective's second name. "Gail."

"Well you were right, both sons were about ready to go hunt down Mr Fallows when I entered the house." Emily said with a wry grin. "Luckily Mr Fallows actually turned up while we were still there and offered his apology to the family for the misunderstanding."

Which was the least he could do after the scene he'd caused.

"I spoke with the daughter and we're happy that there was nothing to the allegations which both parties agreed with, so I guess we can all sign off on this one." She finished with a grin.

"Good." Gail answered. She was happy to hear it, as serious as those claims have to be taken, and rightly so, Gail never wanted to be caught up in one if she could help it. The abuse of children was tough to disassociate from at the end of a shift. That kind of horror stayed with you, like Holly's suicide case. Senseless and no matter how you tried to put your own emotions and feeling aside it just wasn't always possible.

Emily glanced around, seeing more than one set of curious eyes flick her way. "Well I just wanted to stop by and let you know." She watched the blonde nod. "And to apologise for my partner. He's a little off-putting but he's been doing this a long time and I guess you can't teach old dog's to be polite or at the very least know when to keep their mouth shut."

Gail shrugged, comments like his annoyed her but she was used to them. Not so much from the people she worked with now, but when officers from other divisions were around and caught sight of her name, there was always comments and looks.

Emily grinned and leaned closer to Gail. "He also doesn't much like your mother." She added in a whisper.

Gail snorted. "Who does?"

Emily grinned holding in a laugh. "Anyway, I need to get to my own mountain of paperwork."

"Bye." Gail said as the dark haired detective wandered off to wherever it was the detectives in 15 hid out.

As she took her seat Gail could feel eyes on her. She turned her head and spotted Nick watching her. She frowned at him but turned back to her desk before she could snap a biting comment off in his direction. The last thing she wanted was to get stuck having to respond to anything he wanted to say to her. Whatever he was thinking he could think it to himself.

As she picked up her pen again she spotted the flashing red light on her cell phone blinking away on her desk.

She dropped the pen and picked up her phone.

_Your the best imagend girlfrnd eva! Luv uuuuuu!_

It was official.

Her girlfriend was now over the legal limit required for safe cell phone usage.

Gail grinned because apart from the text message she also had a voice mail waiting for her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Part 14**

Gail could feel her cell phone in her pocket like it was burning a hole. But as much as she wanted to listen to that message she wanted to be out of 15 first.

So she left it where it was and finished tying her boots up.

But when she stood to grab her bag from her locker and head out she found herself at the centre of her colleagues who were all staring and smiling at her.

And people thought she was weird.

She turned from them and secured her locker before shouldering her bag. But as she turned to leave Noelle, Traci, Andy and Chloe just stood there blocking her way.

She dropped her bag to the floor and scowled at them. "What is this some kind of intervention?"

Andy snorted but otherwise kept quiet.

"A little birdie told me you've moved out of that frat house you called home." Noelle said with a grin on her face as she crossed her arms, waiting.

"And?" Gail narrowed her eyes at Chloe because she was sure said little bird was a redhead who should mind her own fucking business.

"And? You should have told us!" Traci said reaching over and cuffing Gail for keeping this news to herself. "We would have helped."

Gail shrugged and picked her bag back up. "Yeah well, it's done."

"Hold on." Traci said grabbing Gail by the arm as the blonde tried to make her escape. "The least you can do is let us buy the drinks at the Penny tonight, celebrate you moving in with Holly." She finished with a broad grin, happy for her friend even if she was disappointed to only just have heard about this.

"I talked Frank into having a night out, so suck it up Peck and just pretend to enjoy yourself if you have to." Noelle insisted, knowing getting Gail to do anything she didn't want to took a lot of convincing, especially if your name wasn't Holly Stewart.

Gail huffed out a breath. "Let's not!" She said but stopped the rest of her comment as she saw the hint of hurt in Traci's eyes. She tried not to look as defensive as she felt right then with all of them still surrounding her. "Besides Traci has a dinner to get too, and I'm sure you all have better things to do." She said in a soft tone. "But thanks okay, for the gesture."

"One drink." Traci tried to bargain with her.

Gail bit her lip and made them wait. Would it kill her just to go for one drink? She was torn because they were trying to do something nice for her but really, she just wanted to get out of here and find Holly. Detouring to the Penny for a drink would cost her half an hour.

She screwed her face up and threw her free hand up in the air. "Fine, one drink."

Gail sighed as the others cheered as she caved in. "Yeah, yeah." She muttered as hands patted her on the arm and shoulder. "Okay, enough with the touching." She complained until she was finally allowed to pass.

"If you aren't there by the time we get there we'll come to Holly's and drag you there ourselves." Traci warned.

"I hate you all." Gail told them with her best glare but they all just laughed. She shook her head and accepted defeat. One drink and she'd be free.

She left them to change and made her escape.

xxxxxx

It was snowing lightly as Gail exited into the car lot at the back of the station. There was a thin layer on the ground from a heavier fall earlier, she'd be glad to be out of it and back home.

Home.

Just thinking that made her smile as she approached her car. She unlocked it and threw in her bag then climbed into the driver's seat.

Finally she felt like she could breathe. She closed her eyes and rested her head back. She took a deep breath and sighed before sitting up and reaching for her phone now that she had the time and the privacy to listen to it.

A tap at the passenger side window made her turn her head with a lethal glare. Chris was stood there grinning like an idiot.

"Penny?" He shouted at her as he was dusted in the falling snow.

Gail nodded at him and he waved back before getting into his own car and driving away. She watched him go then glanced around the lot to see if there would be anyone else to interrupt her but it was mostly empty.

Picking up her phone she clicked into her voicemail and lifted the device to her ear.

"It's snowing Gail!" Came Holly's excited voice. It had Gail grinning in response and wishing she'd been there with Holly. "It's so pretty." Then there was a pause and Gail could hear her girlfriend breathing. It sounded like she was walking and if Gail strained her hearing she was sure she could pick up the sound of a nearby road with cars driving by. "It's like you, it's cold, and if it catches you unprepared it can be dangerous to your health," There was a giggle then and Gail rolled her eyes, but she puffed up a little too because she could be dangerous. "And people hate it because it makes them work harder to do normal stuff, like drive or walk their dogs. But that's because they don't take the time to really look at it." There was the sound of wonder in Holly's voice now, like a little kid being told that Santa had been and left presents in the living room, just for them. "But when you really look Gail you see how wonderful the snow can be. Do you know that no two flakes of snow are the same? Wilson Bentley took pictures of them." Gail shook her head at the random name drop. "But that's the thing, you're like a snow flake. You're special and unique and never to be repeated in the history of mankind." Gail was so keeping this voicemail forever. She didn't think it was possible to me more in love with Holly than she already was but the woman just floored her without even trying. It wasn't fair, Holly had to let her catch up. "You're so beautiful Gail." Holly whispered with a touch of awe in her voice. "And you're mine, but you aren't supposed to hold the snow because it'll melt." Gail heard Holly sigh heavily. "Why aren't you here Gail?" She sounded confused but then a second voice blasted through Gail's phone into her ear so much louder than Holly's voice had been. "Hey, Snowflake!" Gail groaned hoping that wasn't going to stick, Dov and his Casper nickname had been bad enough. "You're making my sister all mopey so hurry the fuck up already!"

Gail snorted as she realised Elizabeth had hung up the call. All Gail wanted right now was to play it again and listen to Holly talk about snow some more. With a sigh she quickly saved the message and dropped her cell into the space next to her gear shift and started her car.

She'd go for that drink and then try and work out how in the hell she was supposed to find Holly.

xxxxxxx

The snowing had picked up by the time Gail pulled up behind the Penny. She got out and shoved her hands deep into her pockets for the short walk. Her breath was coming out in puffs of condensation and she hurried her steps.

One drink and she'd try calling Holly and Elizabeth and see if either of them were sober enough to give her directions to whichever bar they were in.

She shook her head and arms out before stamping her feet to rid herself of as much snow as she could before pulling back the door and walking into the Penny. The noise of a busy night hit her first and as she approached the bar. She looked around for her friends and spotted Chris with Andy at the end of the bar.

She got and paid for her drink, just a soda water because she wasn't planning on sticking around, and walked over to the pair as another bar tender loaded up a tray with the drinks the two of them were ordering.

"Hey." She greeted them then lifted her drink up to Andy. "My one and only."

Andy rolled her eyes and chuckled at the blonde. "You're supposed to let us buy you the drinks Gail."

Gail scoffed. "Like I trust any of you guys with that."

"Got to make sure those doubles really are doubles, right Gail?" Chris said as he picked up the tray carefully.

"Exactly." Gail replied and followed after the pair only to pull up. Andy noticed and turned back to her.

There sat in a circle of all of her work colleagues was Holly and Elizabeth laughing and joking with Dov and Oliver.

"Oh, yeah." Andy said with a smug grin on her face. "We invited some guests."

Gail was grinning, she knew she was, and as much as she didn't want her friends to witness it she just couldn't stop, not with Holly right there not ten feet away.

And when Holly's dark eyes lifted to meet hers Gail couldn't have remembered her name if asked.

She watched as Holly's face brightened and excused herself before standing and making her way over to Gail, all without ever breaking eye contact.

"Hi." Was all Gail could manage as Holly stood there in front of her.

Holly's eyes traced all over Gail and then she circled the blonde's wrist with her hand and started walking away from the table and away from any prying eyes.

Confused but not unwilling Gail quickly left her drink at the first table she passed and let Holly lead her out of the bar and around the side of the building.

She was grateful the snow had stopped but she was sure Holly wasn't in any state to even feel how cold it was out here.

"Hey." Holly finally said as she turned Gail and placed her against the wall and worked her jacket open.

Gail blushed and glanced around to see if anyone was within distance to see anything.

Holly chuckled at Gail reaction but when the jacket was open Holly placed her hands on Gail's sides then slid them around her back as she cuddled up to the blonde's body.

Gail sighed as Holly pressed their bodies together. She wrapped her own arms around Holly's and laced her fingers together as they rested against the small of Holly's back.

"I missed you today." Holly said softly as she snuggled as close as she could, their foreheads resting together.

Gail tightened her hold. "I missed you too."

"You don't think this is just a honeymoon?" Holly asked, looking worried as she pulled back enough to eye Gail.

Gail grinned and finally gave in to the temptation and kissed Holly. It was impossible to be this close to the other woman and not, especially looking as cute as she was right now.

Gail shrugged as she eased out of the kiss, and watched as Holly reluctantly opened her eyes again.

"You want less sex?" Gail asked cheekily.

Holly was quiet as her fingers moved restlessly on Gail back. "I just want you." She answered softly, her eyes lowering.

Gail sighed wondering what Elizabeth had been saying to her girlfriend all day. Holly wasn't normally a depressed drunk.

Gail brought her hand up to lift Holly's chin and she stared into the eyes she loved to watch darken with desire, even now. "You already have me Hol, and I'm going to kick your sister's ass if she's said something to upset you."

Holly chuckled knowing Gail was serious.

"So you're not worried?" Holly couldn't help but ask.

Gail wrapped her arms back around Holly and rocked them side to side as she felt her feet going numb with the cold. "Oh, I'm worried about lots of things." She admitted. "But I'm not worried about us." She finished with a shrug like what she was saying was a given and should be common knowledge to Holly.

Holly's eyes brightened and then they narrowed. "Who are you and what have you done with cat-up-a-tree-Gail?"

Gail rolled her eyes and they both laughed. "You're never going to let that damn analogy go are you?"

Holly smiled and shook her head slowly back and forth.

Gail let the smiles fade and turned serious although she had to question the merit of having this kind of conversation with Holly when she might not remember it come morning.

She pressed a kiss to Holly's lips and sighed. "You turned my life on its head Holly. And as much as I struggle with relationships I'm all in with you." It was true, she was committed to Holly in a way she'd never been to anyone in her past, she just wasn't sure how to express that.

"I'm drunk and being silly aren't I?"

Gail grinned and kissed Holly quickly as the older woman pouted. "You are definitely drunk."

"And silly?"

Gail grinned and nodded. "I have the voicemail to prove it too."

Holly grinned and leaned close for another kiss only to feel something hit her back. "What the?"

She turned and there was Elizabeth grinning at them with another snowball in her hand.

"Why you little-" Holly paused as Gail grabbed her arm as she moved towards her sister.

"Oh no. Allow me." Gail said and took off after the younger girl.

Holly laughed as she watched her girlfriend chase after her sister who yelped and threw the snowball only to miss. And then Gail was on her before she could turn and run.

Gail took them to the ground and Holly watched the pair roll around with Gail picking up handfuls of snow and trying and get it into Elizabeth's clothes.

A high pitched squeal signalled Gail's victory as the blonde left Elizabeth on the ground and bounced back towards Holly with a smug look.

"Shall we?" The blonde asked as she hooked her arm through Holly's.

But instead of returning to the bar Gail lead Holly over to her car.

"You don't want to stay?" Holly asked frowning as she wondered if she had ruined the night out Gail's friends had planned for her.

Gail rolled her eyes. "I was here under duress Holly, I was staying for one drink and then I was going to find you, but hey, I've found you _and_ I bought a drink so they can't even complain."

"Are you sure?"

"Just get in." Gail insisted then closed the passenger door as Holly took the seat. As she rounded her car she spotted Elizabeth walking over. "You coming?"

Elizabeth approached cautiously. "Depends, am I going to get more snow dumped on me?" She asked scowling at the blonde as her hand pulled her wet top away from her body.

Gail was trying her best to keep in mind the pair had been drinking most of the day but seriously, she was reaching her limit in dealing with difficult people. "In or out?"

"Okay already." Elizabeth grinned and came over and got into the back seat. "And just so you know, I'm already out."

That was lame so Gail ignored it even as Holly giggled.

"Shut up before I make you walk." Gail threatened.

Holly laughed out loud as Elizabeth's face fell and she glared at Gail from the back seat.

"I don't know what she sees in you."

"If you were my sister I'd never have given you a key to my house."

"Well you're not."

"And let's thank fuck for that!"

Holly shook her head as the pair continued to bicker. If this was what it was like with her sister what on earth would it be like when Gail met the rest of her family?

xxxxxxxx

**AN/**

I came to this fandom because I fell in love with Gail and Holly (I'd fallen for Gail first having watched the show from season 2) and I wanted to add my little fic because I love the characters and the couple.

So I'd just like to say that there's no break ups or cheating coming up in this story and leave my comments at that.

Thanks for reading!


	15. Chapter 15

**Part 15**

Gail eyed Elizabeth from the doorway to the living room. The younger girl had showered as soon as they had arrived back and was currently in some sweats and a thick woolly jumper she had stolen from Holly.

Gail didn't really want to disturb whatever crap the girl was watching on TV but she needed some answers about how the sisters had spent their day and why Holly was up in the loft right now all bundled up watching the snow fall. Holly hadn't been acting upset but she seemed down, sad. And Gail hated that.

With a sigh Gail walked into the room and sat down beside Elizabeth.

"Hey, that for me?" Elizabeth asked with a smile as Gail held out a steaming mug of something.

"Hot chocolate." Gail told her as she handed it over. The blonde had already took Holly coffee and her own was sitting on the kitchen counter.

Elizabeth grinned and blew on the surface to cool the liquid down as she drew her knees up to her chest.

"So," Gail began, eyeing the girl before casually turning to stare at the TV show on. "What did you guys get up to today?"

"Well, obviously, we cleared all your shit from in here." Elizabeth informed the blonde with a gesture around the now box free room. "Holly actually wanted to, I however just wanted to snoop." She finished with a sly grin.

Gail snorted believing every word of that.

"I kinda didn't mind the brunette look."

Gail looked at Elizabeth, not sure how to feel about the girl going through her personal things even if there wasn't much to find. "And what, Holly did?"

Elizabeth shrugged, she didn't really have a clue what Holly thought, her sister had grabbed the pictures out of her hands when she'd commented on it.

"So after that we went into town for lunch, she has some really cute pictures of the two of you on her phone. Did you know that?" Elizabeth asked Gail with a chuckle.

Gail narrowed her eyes. "And how would you know?"

"I needed to send Jace one, remember the bet? I needed proof." Elizabeth explained.

Gail could buy that so she didn't feel too bothered even if she knew some of the pictures were better left unseen or maybe even deleted. "So which one did you send?" She enquired.

Elizabeth grinned widely and sipped her chocolate, making the blonde wait. She chuckled as she remembered Holly coming back from the restroom only to see her messing with her phone. "The one of you both in bed only Holly's sleeping. Mostly on you."

Which Gail recalled was Holly's naked back covering her naked chest while she smugly looked at the camera because she'd worn the brunette out after a long love making session.

She fought hard not to blush as Elizabeth continued to chuckle beside her.

"Jason called her almost right away."

Gail frowned. "And is that why she's upset?"

"I don't think so, actually I think he invited you both down for a visit." Elizabeth said then she sighed and played with her sock. "I think it was something I said this morning."

Gail settled back and watched Elizabeth closely, she tried to recall what had been said that morning between the three of them or if it was something that happened when she hadn't been there.

Elizabeth spotted the confused look on the blonde. "About making up having a girlfriend." She told Gail. "A little Stewart family history. Holly came out when she was about twenty-one?" She tried to remember right. "I was fifteen and it was the tail end of the summer so I was out with my friends a lot. Anyway, so Holly was here at school but she came down for a visit. I wasn't around much but when I was everything seemed normal right, she took me shopping, out to the cinema, that kinda thing."

Gail nodded but didn't interrupt.

"So we had a big family dinner that Sunday, she was going back in the morning. But there was something wrong you could tell, there was this tension at the table all through dinner. I didn't really understand it, but Holly looked pretty ill and dad was so quiet." Elizabeth sighed wishing she'd been able to understand what her sister was going through at the time.

"So what happened?" Gail asked softly.

Elizabeth shrugged slowly. "I left after dinner and Holly was gone by the time I got home. I didn't find out until later Holly had come down to ask if she could bring the girl she was dating home for Thanksgiving. She didn't visit for over two years after that. We still talked on the phone all the time you know?" Elizabeth said as she felt herself tear up remembering how Holly had always said she'd been busy with school, that she sent gifts home instead, or invited her up to Toronto for part of the school holidays.

Gail shifted closer to Elizabeth as she watched the girl become emotional. She put her arm around her shoulders in an awkward hug. "Hey, it fine, you don't need to talk about this." She was sorry for bring this up, she should have just gone up to Holly and tried to cheer up her girlfriend.

Elizabeth shook her head leaning into the blonde. "I called her after I kissed a girl at a party one night and started freaking out about it. Holly calmed me down and said everything would be fine." She gave Gail a smile to show that it had been. "Holly turned up the next day and everything was. We talked, really talked and she let me know it was okay if I wanted to kiss girls, or if I didn't or if I wanted to kiss both."

Gail was grinning now. "She is kinda awesome isn't she?"

Elizabeth nodded like they were sharing a secret.

"I think she told my parents before I did, and they were great about it, saying it didn't change who I was and all that stuff." Then she sighed. "I don't think they were that accepting when it was Holly telling them about herself." She said sadly.

Gail let out a long sigh. That wasn't anything she could fix with a smile and a few words. And really, should she even let Holly know Elizabeth had told her all of this?

"She never really brought anyone to meet mom and dad, I mean, if I came up and she was dating someone she would always introduce us and if mom and dad were visiting they'd all go for dinner but, like Jace lived at home through college and he had a new girl staying every weekend it seemed like." Elizabeth explained. "He just made a bit of a joke of it sometimes if she came down for the holidays on her own, like how could she be a lesbian if she never had a girlfriend with her?"

"Yeah, I can see how that would hurt." Gail replied. Steve had girlfriends and she'd dated as well but they both would never have subjected them to the Peck family dinners. But she remembered Steve sometimes making suggestive comments at the dinner table alluding to her dating someone and that she should bring them around sometime. "My brother was a pain in the ass growing up too. Still is actually."

"The redhead from the pictures?" Elizabeth asked.

Gail nodded and stood up feeling like Elizabeth had shared more than enough of Holly's personal history. "Get up." She said to Holly's sister who after a moment got up with a puzzled look and put her drink down. Gail steadied herself then pulled the girl into a tight hug. She held her long enough for Elizabeth to wrap her own arms around Gail and hug her back.

"Thank you for sharing that with me." Gail whispered before releasing Elizabeth.

Elizabeth looked a little bashful at that as she sat back down. "Yeah, well, you love her right? So it's kinda your job to look after her." She told Gail.

Gail smiled. Was she actually starting to like the other girl? She put her closed fist out in front of Elizabeth who stared at it bewildered.

"So then, we've both got her back right?" Gail asked.

Smiling Elizabeth got it and knocked her fist with Gail's and the both shared a look. Then she pulled her fist back and spread her fingers as she made an exploding sound as she giggled.

Gail rolled her eyes and started walking away. "See, maybe that's why you're still single."

"Hey, now that's just mean!"

Gail chuckled to herself as she made her way upstairs.

xxxxxxx

Holly turned from the book in her hands as she heard soft footfalls headed in her direction. Soon enough Gail's blonde head appeared in the doorway. "Hey!" She said with a smile.

"Hey, you mind if I join you?" Gail asked tentatively, she'd tucked Holly up here on her own with a book and some coffee for company to watch the snow falling through the glass panel that took up half of the back wall overlooking the garden. The room had two walls that were shelved in books that covered sci-fi, autobiographies, and all kinds of fiction books as well as a how to section for DIY jobs around the house.

There were only two pieces of furniture in the loft, the oversized sofa Holly was spread out on and a recliner near the wood burning stove next to where Gail was stood. There was also a computerised Celestron telescope tucked away in the far corner beside the glass wall.

"Sure." Holly replied moving to sit up but Gail moved quicker and was soon wedging herself between the sofa back and Holly's body. It made Holly smile and settle back down.

Gail adjusted the throw over them both and cuddled against Holly with her arms coming around to hug Holly around her waist.

"Comfy?" Holly asked turning her head as best as she could to give the blonde a raised eyebrow look.

Gail smiled into Holly's shoulder. "Yes." She replied rubbing her face into Holly's neck until she found the perfect spot and pressed her lips to skin. "Good book?"

"Mmh, yeah. Not bad."

Gail sighed quietly to herself and closed her eyes, relaxing as Holly went back to her book.

She wasn't sure how long she dosed for but when Holly started to shift to face her she blinked her eyes open. Holly had taken off her glasses and the room was a little darker, a quick glance over Holly's shoulder let her know the snow had turned to rain and it looked like a storm was in store for the night.

Holly played with Gail's hair, tucking a few strands behind the blonde's ear out of the way as she inched the distance between them and kiss Gail gently on the lips. She pulled back and the blonde was grinning at her through tired eyes.

"I never thanked you for taking care of my stuff, although I've been informed you let Elizabeth snoop all she wanted." Gail said and her hands pressed against Holly's back to keep their bodies in contact. "So maybe 'thanks' with a strong hint of sarcasm."

Holly shook her head in denial. "She didn't help a bit, just sat there watching. Wasn't my fault you marked one of the boxes 'photos and shit'."

Gail chuckled, she had done that.

"So don't go blaming me." Holly continued as she felt hands wander under her top.

Gail shrugged. There really hadn't been much to see, a couple of family pictures she had no choice in, a few with Steve, one or two from her college days and a couple of the gang at 15. She'd never been one to pose with her boyfriend's so she was spared that embarrassment.

And all her pictures with Holly were on their cell phones and Elizabeth had already gotten to Holly's.

There was nothing sacred between siblings apparently.

"Plus, this way you can't just run off now, you'll have to find all your stuff first. And that could take you a while." Holly said with a small chuckle. She'd seen the way Gail had treated her clothes while she'd lived with Dov and Chris and it hadn't been pretty. She'd done the blonde a favour even if she was reluctant to acknowledge it.

Gail rolled her eyes at the running off comment. She wasn't planning on going anywhere. "Tomorrow morning will be fun in that case, did you at least put my spare uniform somewhere accessible?" She asked.

"Not telling."

Holly was grinning like an idiot but Gail could feel the tension in the brunette's back, she was obviously expecting Gail to react somehow. And who was Gail to disappoint her girlfriend?

"Oh, is that so?" She asked enjoying the playful yet slightly nervous look in Holly's face. Gail closed her grip on Holly's hips ensuring the older woman had no chance of escape.

"Yup!" Holly said although she was already starting to brace herself as she knew that look in Gail's eyes.

"Well then…" And with that Gail rolled onto Holly and set about finding each and every ticklish spot the pathologist had on her body.

"No!" Holly screamed as she tried to tuck herself into a ball but it was impossible with Gail on top of her. Her last resort, as they both continued laughing and struggling against each other, was to try and trap Gail's hands.

Gail got in touches to the brunette's side and the back of her knee before allowing her hands to be captured as she made an attempt at Holly's bare feet, a particularly susceptible spot to her tickle fingers.

"You are so mean to me." Holly bemoaned as she tried to get her breath back and retain hold of Gail's hands.

Grinning, Gail leaned down to Holly's ear. "That's not mean, mean is me telling you that as turned on as I am with the thought of pinning you to this couch and fucking you all night, I'm going to refrain because you, my dear, have been drinking all day." She said softly, adding a nip of Holly's earlobe which earned her a gasp, before pulling back to see the effect her words had.

Holly kept her eyes shut tight as her body shuddered. "That's not fair." She managed to say, finally opening her eyes to see the blonde tilt her head and shrug in response.

"As an officer of the law, I'd hate to be accused of taking advantage of you in such a vulnerable state."

Holly huffed at the blonde. She turned Gail's wrist to check the time from the blonde's wrist watch. "I haven't had an alcoholic drink in almost three hours and I've had coffee since then too."

"Are you begging for sex?" Gail asked beyond amused now as she sat up straight still straddling Holly. "Weren't you the one worried all we did was have sex?" She asked.

Holly pouted. "It's not _all_ we do." She protested.

Gail looked down at her girlfriend who was looking a little frustrated by the conversation. The blonde was sure Holly wasn't completely sober but she obviously wasn't blind drunk either.

Holly had let go of Gail's wrists and the blonde was currently pressing their palms together and lacing and unlacing their fingers.

Gail turned her head away and tried to look thoughtful. "I suppose we would have to see if you're sober enough."

"And how would we do that?" Holly asked as a smirk grew on her face. Gail was totally playing with her.

"Obviously there would be tests involved." Gail warned with an arched eyebrow.

Holly grinned and darted up for a quick kiss. "I'm good at tests."

"Well," Gail had to swallow as the look being directed at her changed from annoyance to amusement, and then to now, a mixture of lust and love. It derailed her whole train of thought and she gently extracted her hands to cradle Holly's face. She lowered herself onto her girlfriend and stared into those dark eyes for a moment before they both leaned in and shared one of the sweetest, gentlest kisses Gail had ever experienced.

When the kiss ended Gail shifted and they both settled onto their sides still holding on to one another.

Holly sighed peacefully and ducked her head to press her lips to the exposed skin of Gail chest, just above her heart. It was such a precious gift, made all the more so when Holly had seen further into Gail's life and saw how she struggled not just with her mother but even in her friendships.

She vowed to never take it for granted. She pressed another kiss there to seal her promise before lifting her head and kissing the blonde.

"So these tests?" She asked into an ear as she hooked her leg over Gail's hip and drew the blonde closer.

Gail's hand traced over Holly's thigh and then into the sweats Holly wore, cupping her butt with a squeeze of her hand as she then tried to push them down over hips. She grunted when Holly kept her leg in place, stopping her from taking them completely off but her hand just went in the opposite direction and worked Holly's loose jumper up.

Holly giggled but shifted and help the blonde remove her top only to grip Gail's and have the favour returned. She leaned in again for another kiss before reminding the blonde, "Tests Gail?"

"Right, ugh," Holly was not helping and Gail closed her eyes and tried to steal herself as a hand cupped and massaged her breast. "Right, they ugh, involve fine motor skills…s_hit_!"

Holly grinned as she thought a pinch to Gail's nipple covered that one. "And?" She whispered.

Gail bit her lip to hold back a moan as Holly added another twist before moving on to her other breast. "Hand and eye coordination." She bit out quickly as she received another pinch causing her to gasp at the sensation.

Holly could hardly believe Gail wasn't retaliating but she liked it when the blonde let her have control. "Oh, you mean like…this?" She asked trailing her hand down a pale abdomen and into Gail's underwear.

"Fuck!"

"Shh!" Holly said with a smug grin on her face. "Wouldn't want to make too much noise, we have a guest staying."

Gail growled and pressed forward, capturing Holly's lips and delving in with her tongue, mirroring Holly's fingers as they entered her.

Drunk or sober, she'd never regret a moment with Holly.

Damn she hoped Elizabeth remembered her comment about earplugs.


	16. Chapter 16

**Part 16**

Gail could feel eyes on her but she just continued to breathe and move silently through her poses. It had been a great night and so far it looked like a good morning. It was earlier than she usually got up so she thought she'd get some yoga in before attempting to make something edible for Holly, who was still fast asleep in their bed.

"You do know my room is on the first floor, right?" Elizabeth asked as she sipped her morning coffee. "The loft is the same distance from my room as your bedroom."

Gail grinned but continued with her routine.

"And you're really not a quiet person." Elizabeth continued, watching on as the blonde ignored her. "I could be scarred for life listening to the two of you."

Gail snorted but kept her final pose until she was done with her breathing then she eased out of it and stretched her arms into the air before twisting at her waist to loosen up.

Elizabeth averted her gaze when the blonde's tee rode up as she stretched. She was trying to be respectful. But any respect she had for Gail ended the moment she received a light smack to the back of her head as her sister's girlfriend walked by.

"Hey!"

Gail smirked over her shoulder. "Then maybe you shouldn't listen then, huh?"

Elizabeth frowned then followed as the blonde headed into the kitchen. "It's not like I _wanted _to listen to you and my sister get it on all night, I didn't really get a choice in the matter."

"And what did I say to you before I left yesterday morning?" Gail asked as she pulled some eggs out of the fridge.

Elizabeth huffed and sat down to watch as Gail started various pots and pans on the stove and pulled out everything from corn flour and cereal to fruit and bread.

"What are you trying to do, other than make a mess?" Elizabeth asked when it seemed like Gail had the worktop full of food items but had little idea what to do with them.

Gail turned and glared at the younger girl. "I'm trying to make your sister breakfast." She said, leaving the moron part of her statement to echo in her own head.

Chuckling Elizabeth got up and went over, taking the frying pan out of the blonde's hands. "Sit." She told her and then proceeded to make pancake mix and some poached eggs. She hummed as she worked, aware that Gail stood over her shoulder watching the whole time. But she liked that, it meant Gail wanted to know how she was doing what she was doing, which was a good sign for her sister.

She grinned as she plated up to find Gail had managed to make the toast and coffee on her own and find a tray from somewhere.

"What?" Gail asked as she cut up some different types of fruit and added the bits and pieces into a bowl.

Elizabeth shrugged. "Just remember you can't spend all day in bed with my sister." Her smile widened as she watched the blonde blush. "Maybe you should leave the bedroom door open just in case."

"Shut up!" Gail glowered at the other girl as she carefully picked up the tray and started to head for Holly but she stopped just at the doorway. "Thank you," She offered gesturing to the tray. "For the help."

"You're welcome." Elizabeth told her with a grin as the blonde disappeared from view.

xxxxx

Holly felt a touch at her shoulder and although she had yet to open her eyes, it made her smile.

"Hey." Gail greeted her girlfriend softly as she stroked Holly's stomach gently as the pathologist started to wake. "Morning." She said as Holly opened her eyes and she leaned down and kissed those welcoming lips.

"Morning." Holly said as she shifted to rest her back against the headboard and yawned. "Sorry."

Gail looked away so as not to smirk.

"What's this?" Holly asked as she reached for her glasses and spotted the loaded tray in her girlfriends lap as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Gail rolled her eyes and huffed, but she gently placed the tray across Holly's thighs. "Breakfast." She told her then pinched a strawberry out of the bowl. "I need to shower." She said quickly stealing another before sharing a soft kiss with Holly and getting to her feet.

"Enjoy."

Holly eyed the tray and then the space left by Gail, she then moved the tray aside and quickly climbed out of the bed and started after her girlfriend.

xxxxx

"You guys make me sick." Elizabeth muttered as she watched the now dressed pair pick at freshly made pancakes and hurried to drink down mugs of coffee.

Gail smirked but chewed her food rather than comment. Nothing was going to ruin her good mood especially when Holly shot her a knowing look and a wink.

"Ugh." Elizabeth picked up her fork and stabbed at the pancakes.

"So should I pick you up after work?" Holly asked Gail, taking one day off for her sister was fine but she was needed in the office today as she was due in court at the end of the week.

Gail turned back from filling up her travel mug with the best coffee she had ever tasted, she'd do pretty much anything for Holly just for a mug each morning, but why tell her girlfriend that?

"Actually I have an appointment after shift with my shrink." Gail explained. Which meant Holly either coming back from home to pick her up or they'd need to drive separately into work. Cabs were still the last resort for the blonde given her past.

Elizabeth eyed Gail on hearing that but quickly went back to her breakfast.

"Oh." Holly replied in disappointment. "Okay, can we do lunch at least?"

Gail shrugged and came back over to the breakfast bar. "Sure, as long as I'm not in the middle of something." She offered.

It was Holly's turn to roll her eyes at Gail stating the obvious.

"What about me?" Elizabeth asked eyeing the pair.

Gail smirked and gave Holly a look, letting the older woman have the final say.

Holly narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Aren't you the one complaining nonstop about us," She said gesturing to Gail and herself with a hand motion. "And now you're asking to spend more time with us?"

Elizabeth stayed silent but she stuck her lower lip out.

"Fine, I guess you can tag along for lunch." Holly relented, although she grinned when Elizabeth gave a little happy yelp and shook her fists out in front of her.

Gail looked between the pair not really wanting to ruin the moment but, "I'm not sure when I can get free for lunch though." She said softly.

Holly let out an aggrieved sigh as her sister's face fell. "I suppose you can tag along with me today, see how a professional works."

Elizabeth got up and raced over to Holly and pulled her into a big hug. She'd been asking for that very thing ever since Holly got her job at the morgue. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Weirdo's." Gail said biting the last bit of pancake and reaching for her bag. "Guess I'm driving on my own then." She said looking at Holly with sad eyes.

"Give me ten!" Elizabeth said releasing her sister and taking off for her room to change into something other than shorts.

Holly shook her head at her sister then stepped over and pulled Gail into her arms.

"Are you really okay with this?" Holly asked Gail.

Gail shrugged. "You're the one that's going to have to spend the day with her as your shadow, maybe I should be asking you that question."

"Are you kidding me?" Holly asked, pulling back from Gail and grinning widely. "I've basically roped her into playing goffer all day, it's going to be great!"

Gail chuckled.

Holly studied her girlfriend thinking about her therapy session. "Is there anything specific you're going to talk about after shift?" She asked curiously. Gail had always been very open with her without going into details, especially given they hadn't discussed Gail's kidnapping until recently.

Gail shook her head. "Not really, just the usual, life, work-"

"Your mother."

"Always." Gail could smile about that with Holly now that the older woman had spent a brief dinner with the Superintendent that masqueraded as Gail's mother.

Holly smiled but then she turned more serious, lifting her hand to Gail's face and caressing her cheek. "But nothing about us that has you freaking out right? Because if this is too fast for-"

Gail quickly silenced Holly with a kiss and reached up to cover the hand on her face with her own as she pulled Holly closer. "No, nothing like that." She insisted quietly. "I mean I'll give her a quick update on stuff, answer any questions she has then we'll get back to my mother. Probably." She added trying to smile. She actually did plan on bringing Holly up but just as a show that she was dealing with this relationship better than she'd hoped so far, and that things were really good with Holly.

But mostly she wanted her therapist to tell her how to deal with her mother pushing herself into Gail's career. Gail had always know it'd be a possibility, and so did every other cop that knew the Peck name, but that had always been more of Gail being handed the best assignments and being first to get promoted. Having her mother prevent her trying for a training placement had Gail re-evaluating her mother's career plan for her.

It had always been explained to Gail that she'd join 15 or 27, the two best division in Toronto, make a good impression with her arrest and conviction numbers, do some undercover work to get her name out there, then get the detective spot, where she'd spend a few years learning the ropes before going for special task forces and then finally applying for Sergeant and working her way up from there.

She really only had two options as far as she could see right now, deal with Elaine holding her back and staying in uniform, although she wasn't sure how she'd manage watching the rest of the gang she worked with right now advancing and leaving her behind, or consider transferring out of her mother's control, which meant out of Toronto.

And that wasn't even close to being an option right now, not with Holly in her life.

"You can talk to me, you know that right? About anything." Holly added, keeping her eyes locked with the blue of Gail's.

"I know." Gail whispered pressing her lips to Holly's again. "I swear we're good Holly."

Holly sighed then smiled, finally accepting that. Gail didn't look like she was avoiding anything and Holly knew dinner at Steve's had hurt her girlfriend not to mention Nick's insensitive words at the race track. Holly was sure Gail had a lot to go over with her therapist. "Okay, sorry, I don't know why I even asked that."

Gail shook her head. "You can ask anything okay?" She told her girlfriend. From anyone else it would have set off her bitch instincts and she'd blow them off with cutting words and glares, but not Holly, never Holly.

Holly gathered Gail back into her arms and kissed her head. "So it's not just to spend some time away from Elizabeth?" She asked jokingly and they both laughed.

"Hey!" Elizabeth said as she returned in time to hear that last comment. "How could anyone not want to spend their time with me?"

Gail snorted.

Elizabeth shot her a look. "You should be so lucky Snowflake."

Gail winced at the nickname but covered it by picking up the bag she'd dropped in favour of a hug. "Let's go, some of us actually have work."

Elizabeth smirked and followed the pair out of the house, she stood by her sister's car as she watched Gail head for her own, the Z4 being a two seater. "Shouldn't we wait to make sure that monstrosity starts for her?" She asked Holly loudly so Gail would hear.

Holly sighed as Gail spun around with a glare.

"Hey, watch your mouth kid or I'll make sure Holly makes you work with any floaters that come in today." With the bad weather and the location to the lake it was always a possibility.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and got into the car.

"Careful," Holly warned. "I just might do something worse." She told her sister and it made Gail smirk so that worked.

"Whatever." Elizabeth mumbled and watched Gail get into her own car and drive off, but not before honking the horn and getting a wave from Holly to send her on her way.

Could they be any mushier?

She turned to Holly as her sister got seated and started the car.

"So why is she in therapy, she's not nuts is she?" She asked quickly.

Holly stopped the car just as she was backing out of her driveway. "She is not nuts and don't ever say that about Gail again, do you understand me?" She told her sister harshly.

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Okay." She replied softly and watched her sister take a deep breath before driving onto the road.

"So, why then?"

Holly didn't answer for a while, concentrating on the drive.

"Besides having a controlling bitch for a mother, Gail's had some issues with work that I'm not going to go into with you and you aren't going to ask Gail about are we clear?" Holly said, giving her sister a stern look.

"But she's okay to work, I mean she carries a gun." Elizabeth said wondering how an officer that could aim a gun at someone could be on duty while seeing a shrink.

Holly frowned. "Of course she's okay to work, her issues are personal Elizabeth. Lots of people have issues, it doesn't stop them functioning in the rest of their lives."

"Okay, okay," Elizabeth muttered not needing a lecture. "I was just worried, I like her and you two are really good together." She explained. "I don't want her to be all crazy." She saw the glare Holly shot at her. "Poor choice of words, you know what I mean, you guys are good, so just, stay good."

"Mmmh, say any of that in front of Gail and she'll show you how crazy she can be."

"You'd protect me though right, being your favourite sister." Elizabeth gave Holly her best smile.

Holly snorted as she turned onto the road that would take her to the morgue. "I already have the spot we'd use to hide your body all picked out." She told her sister with a cocky grin.

Elizabeth groaned. "God, you two are twisted."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"You obviously don't know Gail very well." Holly answered with a laugh as she pulled up into the parking lot. "Come on let's see what they have for us."

Elizabeth followed along, signing in as Holly's guest and getting her badge at the front desk. She followed Holly up a flight of stair and then into a small room that must have been her sister's office.

"I really do like Gail, sorry if any of that made it sound like I didn't." She told her sister wondering if lunch would get cancelled because she'd opened her mouth and talked stupid.

Holly took her coat off and sat behind her desk, booting up her computer. Only then did she look at her sister who was looking a little sorry for herself. "It's fine, and she obviously likes you too or she wouldn't have felt comfortable mentioning her appointment in front of you." She explained.

"You think so?"

Holly almost rolled her eyes at the look on her sister's face. She wondered if Elizabeth was aware that she was crushing on her girlfriend or if Gail had picked up on it yet. "I don't know, maybe you should ask her yourself, just leave out the crazy part."

Elizabeth glared at her smiling sister but before she could form a response the phone next to Holly rang.

Holly eyed Elizabeth before picking up. "Wonder if this is that floater Gail was hoping for?" She said before answering the call as Elizabeth pouted across from her.

Holly listened and took down a few details before thanking the person and hanging up. She then stood and reached for her lab coat. "Looks like you'll be busy today." She said ushering her sister out ahead of her.

"It's not really a floater is it?"

Holly smirked. "You'll just have to wait and see."


	17. Chapter 17

**Part 17**

Gail almost bumped into Steve as she left the locker room in her uniform on her way to the parade room. "Yeah?" She asked him as he followed beside her.

"See, mom's called me three times in the last two days, which is a lot even by her standards," He began, giving her a puzzled look. "But see, the thing is, is she's asking if you've talked to me yet?" He pulled his sister to a stop and gave her look. "So what exactly does she think you need to talk to me about?"

Gail gave him a blank look. "How would I know Steve, your choice of aftershave?" She said leaning over and sniffing. "It could use work."

Steve rolled his eyes. "So you have no idea what she's talking about?" He asked her again watching her reaction carefully.

"Nooo."

"You know you can talk to me right?" Steve continued.

Gail gave her brother a smile and patted him on the shoulder. "I'll keep that in mind." She told him with a grin before heading for the parade room again.

Steve chuckled. "Okay, well if there is anything you want to talk about, girlfriends, living situations," He gave her a pointed look letting her know he'd found out she now lived with Holly. "Anything, you know where to find me." He said then walked away.

Gail shook her head and went to find an empty desk. She sat down with a sigh, glad that the room hadn't filled yet, it gave her some thinking time.

She knew exactly what her mother was trying to find out from Steve. She wanted to know if she'd gone to him after Frank had pulled her ETF application. She hadn't told anyone yet, and she wasn't sure if she should.

What good would it do to complain about Frank following her mother's orders or going above him to get back in? Obviously Elaine Peck was under the assumption Gail hadn't worked out she was behind Frank's decision. Gail shook her head thinking that her mother had once again assumed it was beyond her to make the connection between the comments she'd made to her at dinner and Frank's sudden actions against her.

She dismissed the subject from her thoughts as Frank entered and there was a rush of bodies into the room.

xxxxxx

Andy glanced at Gail before looking back to the road. It was strange for the blonde to let her drive, Gail almost never did that unless she was riding with Shaw.

"Everything okay?" Andy asked, bracing herself for Gail's come back.

Gail shrugged. "How'd it go with Marlo showing up?" She deflected, she knew she'd been quiet all morning but she didn't want to talk about it, especially to Andy.

"Oh! Uh," Andy blinked and paid attention to the road for a bit before continuing. "They broke up and ugh, she, she has her interview with the Board on Friday."

The breakup had been coming but the meeting? That was quick, Gail knew investigations into the conduct of officers could take months. And apart from this one incident Marlo Cruz had an impeccable record with SWAT before her transfer to 15. The fact that the Ford brothers were either dead or awaiting trial for the abduction and death of a child, meant Marlo had that going for her. But her mental illness and the fact that Sam, Andy and Nick were involved in covering up her actions meant keeping her badge was going to be tough.

"What about you and Sam?" Gail asked, it was easy to ignore the cover up when Sam had almost been killed, but Gail felt a little angry that Marlo's actions had resulted in Chloe being shot, her and Oliver being shot at and Sam almost dying. Not to mention Oliver's abduction, every time Gail thought about that she felt guilty for staying back at the station to do her paperwork but it had been all hands on deck at the time and most officers had gone out solo.

Still.

Andy gave the blonde a surprised look. "Nothing. Nothing's been said about…"

Gail held back a snort. Of course it'd be brushed under the carpet, how many times had other officers or Frank or Jerry covered for the way Sam policed. By the book was a very flexible term for the guy and it seemed like his training was rubbing off on Andy too.

So Marlo was being hung out to dry because she went about her investigation into Ford on her own, and being off her medication meant she took things a little too far and Ford was assaulted by his neighbours.

"Well, isn't that great." She muttered keeping her eyes directed away from Andy. As they passed an intersection she spotted a car do an illegal U-turn. "Let's see what they're up to." She told Andy as she pointed the car out and flipped on the siren and lit the car up.

Maybe a couple of arrests will cheer her up.

xxxxxx

Gail was humming to herself as she wandered around the morgue in her search for Holly and Elizabeth, the only thing that would put a bigger smile on her face right now would be finding the pair working on that floater she had threatened Elizabeth with.

Andy had dropped her off and would be back to pick her up in an hour, which gave her time to catch lunch with the Stewart sisters if she could find them.

"Ah," Gail stuck her head into one of the labs and found them both standing over a body. "Lunch?" She asked, not bothered by the blood splattered protective gowns both women wore. "I'm starved." She added with a wicked grin as she looked back and forth between the two women.

Elizabeth scowled at the blonde resting casually against the door jamb of the room. She was currently holding the dead males liver in her gloved hands.

Holly grinned at Gail, grateful for the break. "Give me ten." She said as she gestured for Elizabeth to take the organ over to the weighing scale.

"You have five, so hurry it up." Gail replied turning and walking away.

"Ugh." Elizabeth moaned as she pulled off her stained gloves to note the weight. She then gloved up again to return the liver back to the body.

"You can't seriously want to eat right now?" She asked her sister who was stripping out of her gloves and gown and hanging her lab coat up in the corner of the room.

"Just put that towel over the incision and we can finish this when we get back." Holly told her sister, watching as she covered the open cavity and pulled the sheet up over the dead man's head.

"Feel like sushi?" Holly asked with a grin as her sister stripped off and joined her at the door.

"I'll be lucky if I can manage a salad."

Holly chuckled. While her sister had worked on cadavers and had assisted in various operations during her medical training she hadn't had quite so much contact with the recently dead. The man they were currently working on had died in an industrial accident involving a metal pole connecting with force to the back of his head.

While the cause of death seemed to be obvious to all, Holly's job was to show that the injury wasn't used to cover up anything more sinister. It was a sad indictment that it was Holly's first instinct to ignore the obvious until it was all that was left. Greed, love, jealousy, were all emotions that could drive a person to cover up acts of murder.

"Let's go, we'll walk over to Charlie's and get you a nice rare steak." Holly offered only to receive a push from her sister who walked off in front of her as they headed up to her office to grab their jackets.

Gail was resting against the wall of the forensics building as she waited on Holly appearing.

The sun was actually shining, and although it was still fairly cold out, it was nice weather to just stand out in.

"Hey, no loitering!" Holly said as she spotted Gail and came over.

Gail grinned and caught Holly's hand as the older woman offered it when she was within reach and quickly leaned in for a kiss. "Where to?" She asked as they broke apart.

Holly shrugged, giving Gail a tug with her hand and starting back over to where Elizabeth was stood waiting. "I told Elizabeth we'd get her a rare steak over at Charlie's." She giggled as she spotted the scowl still on her sister's face. "She's feeling a little delicate right now."

"Really?" Gail frowned, Elizabeth had to have been around dead bodies before so she didn't really understand why she'd be feeling ill after spending the morning helping Holly out. "That's not really a good sign for a doctor is it?" She asked her girlfriend quietly just before they joined Elizabeth on the sidewalk.

Holly just shrugged. Dead bodies did smell, or so she'd been told by interns whenever there was a new one helping out at the lab. She'd gotten used to it and now it was only when it was a half decomposed body or one that had been out in the sun for a long time, or when she had a floater that she made herself breath through her mouth while she worked.

"You okay?" Gail asked Elizabeth with a touch of concern. A steak for lunch sounded great to her but she wasn't in a rush to see Holly's sister lose it while she was trying to eat.

"No sushi."

Gail grinned and together the three of them headed across the street to the restaurant but just as they reached the other side Gail's name was called out from behind.

Gail and Holly turned to see Traci and a very reluctant looking Andy cutting across the road towards them.

"Hey," Traci said as she stopped in front of them. "I thought that it was you guys." She smiled at the three women as Andy lagged behind and tried to avoid Gail's eyes. "I have to hang around for some trace samples to come back, so do you guys mind if we join you for lunch?" She asked hopefully.

Gail pouted internally as Holly quickly agreed and they entered the restaurant together and were soon shown to a table. Gail quickly sat down beside Holly who sat next to Elizabeth, slightly relieved that Traci and not Andy sat on the other side of her.

The waiter came for drink orders as they looked through the menu.

But just as they were giving their orders Dov and Chris walked over to the table.

"Would you imagine that?" Dov said with a grin as he pulled out a chair and sat down without waiting for an invite. "We thought we saw you guys as we drove by." He commented.

"Yeah, hey, Oliver's going to be jealous." Chris said taking his jacket off and joining the group.

Gail glared at them, she knew for a fact Dov was riding with Nick and Chris was supposed to be with Oliver, so why in the hell was she suddenly having lunch with half of the division.

Chris froze as Gail caught him in a glare.

Gail knew he was the weakest link and wouldn't be hard to break.

"Andy called us." He told Gail quickly before reaching for his water glass.

Andy snorted beside Traci and threw her hands up. "Sure let's all just blame me." She muttered causing Gail to grin. She loved winding Andy up and the fact that she'd be riding with her after this meant she'd be able to exact her revenge for hours.

"Hey, the more the merrier." Holly said as the waiter returned and she gave her order over which was quickly followed by the rest of the occupants at the table.

Gail eyed her girlfriend then looked pointedly to the door, half expecting more of her colleagues to suddenly turn up. She faked wiping sweat from her brow when the door remained closed which earned her a shake of the head from Holly and a giggle from Elizabeth.

She supposed there was nothing much she could do about the situation now and might as well just accept that her lunch with Holly had been taken over by her so-called friends, she just wasn't sure why.

"So, how was dinner last night, my brother order in?" Gail asked Traci as Chris tried to talk to Elizabeth about something that had Holly leaning in to listen.

Traci grinned as she buttered some bread. "It was actually really nice." She admitted although her tone clearly reflected her surprise at the fact. "And Leo had a great day, they went karting then Steve took him to the Aquarium centre. He talked about sharks all night." Traci told her with a happy grin.

Gail smiled back at her friend, pleased that her brother had managed to pull it off. "That's great."

"Yeah, they seemed to get on really well together so that was good." Traci continued, she'd been a little reluctant at letting Steve take her son for the full day but Leo had raved about the trip and had told her Steve had even forced him to eat the lunch she'd packed him for school. Her son had even finished off some of his school work before she had arrived at Steve's house for dinner with the pair.

The conversations around the table were light and jokey with Elizabeth talking about her medical training and mentioning that she'd lived with Holly for a year before her sister had left Boston for her current job, and Chris and Dov had traded that with stories of each other at the Academy messing up during training exercises.

Gail thought it was going fairly well until Andy opened her mouth.

"So are you all applying to the ETF?" She asked taking a mouthful of her food and eyeing the rest of the officers at the table.

Dov and Chris both replied that they were then eyed each other, wondering if it went down to the two of them which would get the position.

"What about you Gail?" Andy asked leaning around Traci to see the blonde's response.

Gail bites her lip, trying to buy herself some time to think of how to answer that.

"Let me guess, you've already got a spot." Dov snorted and shook his head. "Must be great to be a Peck, get into anything you want." He muttered to himself half-jokingly.

"Actually I haven't applied yet, I'm not sure I will." Gail replied, her appetite leaving her.

Andy's eyebrows shot up. "I thought you would have been one of the first to apply."

Gail shrugged. "Nope."

Holly frowned as she looked around at everyone. She then leaned on the table, ducking her head to catch her girlfriends gaze. "That's a lie and we both know it." She said evenly.

Gail's eyes widened, she forgot she'd talked to Holly about her application and what it would mean for them if she got in.

"Told you!" Dov called out, having heard Holly. "You're already in aren't you? Man, we've got no chance." He grumbled to Chris.

Gail scrambled up from the table and darted off towards the restrooms leaving a stunned group of friends behind her.

"Way to call your girlfriend out Hol." Elizabeth said with a shake of her head, hardly believing her sister had done that to Gail in front of her colleagues.

"Man, I wish I was a Peck." Dov said although this time he got reproachful looks from the rest of the table, none more so than from Holly.

"I swear Dov, you insinuate one more time that Gail gets everything handed to her and so help me!" She warned him as she stood and went after her girlfriend.

"What?" Dov asked, looking at his friends innocently.

Traci shook her head at him but her eyes followed Holly, wondering what on earth was going on with Gail now.


	18. Chapter 18

**Part 18**

Holly carefully opened the restroom door, it wasn't hard to find Gail she was leaning against the far wall with her hands on top of her head, her elbows covering her face.

"Gail, sweetheart, what the hell is going on?" She asked softly, approaching the blonde and laying her hands on her girlfriend's hips, careful of the gun at her side. "Hey, come on, talk to me." Holly spoke softly aware of the tears gathering in her girlfriends eyes as she lowered her arms.

"I don't know what to do." Gail confessed as tears slipped out no matter how hard she tried to keep a hold of her composure.

"Hey!" Holly said gathering Gail into her arms. "It's okay, it is okay." She eased back enough to look Gail in the eye. "If you've changed your mind about applying that's fine, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for talking to you like that out there."

"That's not it." Gail admitted with a snivel and shake of her head.

Holly cupped Gail's face and used her thumbs to gently wipe away tears from her girlfriends face. She then leaned in and pressed her lips to Gail's. "Then what is?" She asked softly.

Gail sighed and rested her head back against the wall, laying her hands over Holly's at her neck. "Frank pulled me into his office during shift on Monday." She admitted.

"He did?"

"He said he didn't think applying for the ETF post was 'right' for me, said I'd had a tough year." Gail scoffed.

Holly had to close her mouth as she listened to Gail. But she didn't really understand, it had been a tough year for a lot of people not just Gail.

"And now my mom's calling Steve to see if I've spoken to him yet."

Holly frowned. "You think your mom had something to do with this?" She asked tentatively, from what she knew of the woman she wanted Gail promoted quicker if anything.

Gail nodded with a snort. "Oh yeah, Frank pretty much admitted it, said the division budget was up for allocation which my mom can influence so…"

Holly studied her girlfriend carefully, "You're serious." She realised, horrified by the thought that Gail's mother would be so manipulative.

Gail shrugged then moved over to the sink and turned on the tap before splashing some water over her face. You could tell she'd been crying and she hated the thought of going back out there and have her friends see her like this.

Holly moved closer to the blonde, watching her as she struggled to offer some advice to her girlfriend. "Can't you talk to someone?"

"Sure I can, but that would be going over Frank's head and things like that are frowned upon." Gail said with a roll of her eyes. "Of course, I'm pretty sure that's exactly how she's expecting me to react."

Holly caught a clue. "She wants you to go to her."

Gail gave Holly a sad look. "It'd prove Elaine Peck knows best right?" She told her. And it would give her the go-ahead to take complete control of Gail's career. Once Gail crossed that line by going over her Sergeant's head there was no going back, Gail would become untouchable to Frank and if that filtered down to the rest of the officers then Gail would isolate herself completely.

She would be the person she'd tried so hard to prove she wasn't. She'd become a Peck.

Holly shifted closer to Gail and put her hand on the blonde's waist. She was painfully aware they were in a public restroom but she needed the contact.

"What do you want to do Gail? Would you go over Frank's head, maybe not to your mom, but to someone else?"

Gail wiped her face dry. "I can't do that Hol, despite what Dov think's out there, I've never used my name before."

"But can't you-"

"I _can't_ Holly," Gail said, cutting her girlfriend off. "Everyone already thinks…"

"Okay, okay." Holly didn't want to upset Gail more than she already was. She pressed closer to the blonde, trapping Gail against the sink. She smoothed her girlfriend's hair back then scratched lightly at the nape of her neck. "What are we going to do about this then?" She asked after some silence.

Gail smiled, enjoying the touches from Holly even if the location left much to be desired. She knew what she wanted to do right now and it didn't have anything to do with her job.

Holly smiled back as she watched a familiar glint enter her girlfriend's eyes. "About the ETF training?"

Gail pouted, then she shrugged her shoulders, there wasn't anything left to do. "My application's been pulled Holly, that's it. Done."

Holly let out a sigh.

"So," Gail put her arms around Holly and did her best to smile. "If I'm only ever going to be a beat cop, would you still be willing to date me?" She asked.

Holly rocked her head pretending to think about it only to yelp as Gail pinched her.

As they giggled together the restroom door leading into the restaurant opened and a woman entered giving them a startled look before quickly walking into a cubicle.

Holly bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. Gail was in uniform so it did look highly inappropriate, but really, Holly didn't care so she leaned in to kiss Gail.

Laughing into the kiss Gail kept her arms around Holly and moved them backwards towards the stalls. "Madam, I think I may need to perform a strip search on you." Gail said as Holly turned her and locked the stall door. "Is there anything on your person that I need to be aware of?" She asked backing Holly up against the door.

She tried to keep a straight face as the stranger using the stall beside them quickly flushed the toilet and they could hear heel clicks rushing from the room.

Holly lost it and pressed into Gail as she laughed. "You're unbelievable."

Gail looked proud as she held onto Holly, she loved watching her girlfriend laugh especially when she was the cause of it.

"You're very lucky I love you." Holly told her girlfriend as she eased up and stared into blue eyes.

Gail smiled softly at her, always taken aback to hear those words. "I know."

Holly shook her head, she'd been joking but the earnest way Gail responded to her words, it took her breath away. "Silly girl." She said pulling the blonde to her and kissing her, taking her time as their lips danced together.

"I just want you to do something you're happy doing with your life and we both know you love your job." Holly explained as they broke apart.

Gail nodded as Holly spoke, she did love her job. "I just, I don't know how much she's going to push this or how far she'll go." Gail said, admitting her fear over the situation. Her mother wasn't to be taken lightly, if she wanted something done her way she usually got it.

"We'll deal with it." Holly said confidently.

Gail doubted it would be that simple. "Okay."

Holly could see Gail still wasn't sure. "My grandmother once told me that sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. I'm sorry you're having this opportunity taken away but maybe the best reaction you can have to it, is no reaction." Holly offered as advice.

"Just wait her out?" Gail replied, she thought about it for a minute. "Okay, let's do that." She didn't really have the option to do anything else about it anyway but Holly's take on it sounded more positive than Gail's fear that her mother was in full control of her at work.

"And there's nothing stopping you from looking into other ways to gain this kind of knowledge and training, right? I mean don't they run classes at the academy or with the ETF that you can do in your own time?" Holly said, knowing her staff often went on training days that were open to anyone, although basic understanding of the subject was assumed and therefore attendees were narrowed to those with specific skill sets. Holly watched Gail's eyes go unfocused. "I mean, the gun range have to offer training on particular weapons right?"

It would mean doing things on her own time and that would take longer. She would also have to give up her days off and switch around shifts to accommodate any classes she took.

But it was workable if Gail wanted to do it.

Gail grinned at her girlfriend then leaned in and kissed her ardently, lifting her hands to hold Holly's head in place and not letting up until she had the brunette moaning. "You are way too smart for your own good, you know that right?" Gail told her as she finally released Holly.

Grinning like an idiot Holly pressed in for another kiss when she couldn't find words.

A throat cleared somewhere in the room forcing them to pull away from each other.

"For the love of god, please tell me you two aren't in here making out?!"

Elizabeth really did have the worst timing.

Gail cleared her throat as Holly buried her head into her neck and giggled. "Okay, we won't." She managed, surprising herself by how steady her voice was.

Elizabeth groaned. "Unbelievable!" She muttered. "Well your friends are out there about to stick me with the bill so if you two are all done?"

Holly lifted her head and decided to take pity on Gail when she noticed how badly the blonde was blushing. "We'll be out in a minute Elizabeth." She told her sister hoping to get her to leave.

"Good." Elizabeth replied. "And wash your damn hands the both of you." She warned them only to receive another round of giggles from behind the stall door.

Gail heard the door close and knew they were alone again. She sighed and wrapped her arms around Holly and gave her a hug. "Thank you." She whispered.

"You're welcome." Holly replied as the hug ended. "Now turn around so I can pee."

Gail eyes widened and she spun around.

After a moment she found herself chuckling as she could hear Holly on the toilet. "You are_ so_ washing your hands." She choked out as she continued to laugh.

Holly grinned and when she was finished she pressed herself up against Gail's back and whispered, "You don't normally complain about where I put my hands." As she slipped her hands around Gail's waist, pulling her back into her own body with one hand as the other drifted down to cup Gail between her legs.

Gasping, Gail shook her head. "Not complaining at all." She muttered then bit her lip as Holly pressed harder against her.

Holly was contemplating how far to take things when the restroom door opened and someone else entered the room. She dropped her head onto Gail's shoulder in disappointment as the blonde whimpered in her arms.

"Later." She whispered, pressing her lips to the skin of Gail's neck and taking her hands away to open the stall door as the stranger used a stall further down the row from them.

Gail pouted but accepted defeat and moved, walking off to the side quickly to make it less obvious to anyone else that might come in that they'd been using the same stall.

"You think there's a back way out?" She asked as Holly did in fact go to wash her hands.

Holly turned to Gail with a grin. "Why? You thinking about sticking them with the bill too?"

"Thinking about it." Gail admitted with a shy grin as she bounced on her toes, waiting for Holly to take responsibility over their next actions.

"My coat's still out there."

Gail shrugged. "Elizabeth will get it for you."

Holly could tell Gail wanted her to agree, but she wasn't sure if it was because the blonde thought it would be fun or if she was trying to avoid going back out and facing her friends.

"Okay." She said finally after thinking it over so more. After Dov's comment, she didn't really feel bad about sticking Gail's friends with the bill, and it wasn't like they'd gotten to finish their meals anyway.

"Really?"

Holly nodded. "Come on, before someone tries to stop us."

Gail grinned as Holly took hold of her hand and they cautiously left the restroom. "Don't worry, I'll just tell them you're a dangerous criminal and I've arrested you." She told her girlfriend with a chuckle then winced as Holly pinched her.

"I have cuffs you know." She threatened Holly as they continued their sneaking.

"And I have hands that won't be going anywhere near your body if you don't shut up and help us get out of here without getting caught." Holly said, offering the blonde her own version of a threat.

Gail pouted, then glanced around, suddenly taking their escape more serious. "This way."

"That's not going to the back of the restaurant." Holly pointed out as Gail turned them around and took them along a different corridor.

"No but it's where the fire door is."

"Won't that be alarmed?"

Gail grinned and hurried her steps, still holding on to Holly's hand. "Even better!"

"Gail!"

Holly shook her head as she spotted the door.

Gail pulled them to a stop and grinned at Holly. "Ready?" She asked placing her hand across the exit bar.

"No, but…" Holly put her hand next to Gail's and then they were both pushing it and running out into the alleyway.

"Go, go, go!" Gail cried out as the alarm blasted all around them.


End file.
